


The Lost Prophecy: Book 2: Broken Destinies

by TheQu1etOne



Series: The Lost Prophecy Series [2]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2018-11-20 16:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 75,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11339154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQu1etOne/pseuds/TheQu1etOne
Summary: After a narrow escape from death, Ravenpaw only wishes to earn his warrior name.  But he soon realizes that danger still lurks in the forest, from both outside ThunderClan and within.  It will take every scrap of courage he can muster to survive... and it still might not be enough.  Covers the timeline of Fire and Ice. Sequel to Ravenpaw's Secret.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! Welcome to The Lost Prophecy #2: Broken Destinies. To anyone unfamiliar with this series, this is an AU in which Firestar never joined ThunderClan, with Ravenpaw as the main character. The first book in this series is Ravenpaw's Secret, which covered the timeline of Into the Wild. This one will cover Fire and Ice. While reading the first book isn't absolutely necessary, I strongly recommend it.
> 
> Oh and by the way, The Lost Prophecy: Ravenpaw's Secret now contains an additional bonus chapter showing Dustpaw's point of view during some of the events of book one, so check that out if you want.
> 
> I'll put out chapter one in a day or two- I still haven't decided on an update schedule. 
> 
> So anyway, with all that being said, here's the prologue.

A group of cats sat around a dark pool in a starlit clearing. Their pelts rippled with the stars' silver glow, and they murmured quietly to each other as they looked down into the murky depths of the pool. Dark images flashed across the starlit water, casting shadows of foggy shapes across the surface. Suddenly the movement within the pool stopped, leaving silence in its wake. The cats shuffled around to face each other, their eyes wide and anxious.

A brown she-cat with ginger patch on her chest padded to the front of the crowd. "I must see it again."

Another cat glanced away from the pool, his tail twitching irritably. "Robinwing, it will not become any clearer the more times we check."

The brown she-cat shook her head. "Does no other cat care?" She glanced around wildly, searching for an agreeing face. "Spottedleaf?"

The dappled tortoiseshell's mew was gentle. "It will do no harm to call upon the vision again. We must do all we can to determine our next course of action." A golden tabby tom murmured his agreement beside her.

All the cats immediately surrounding the pool stared down into it to watch the scene play out again. Reflecting from deep within the water, two dark pelted cats padded through a barren forest. One of them, the darker one, bounded ahead of the smaller cat. Then there was a distant screech that seemed to rise up from under the surface of the pool, then a flash of light, and then, nothing.

"It is too foggy to make out," one of the cats complained. Others murmured their agreement, their fur glowing silver under the light of the moon.

"As foggy as this, one thing is clear," Spottedleaf meowed. "We have seen the signs from beyond. Only one of these cats will have a chance to fulfill their destiny. And now, we must decide what to do."

There was a long moment of silence, interrupted only by flicking tails. "What _can_ we do?" a spiky furred black-and-white tom spoke up, his tail bristling. "What signs can we send that will stop this? We are not all powerful; we cannot control these cats."

A golden tabby tom swept his gaze over the crowd. "More importantly, how do we prevent the darkness from destroying our Clan?"

The bristling black-and-white tom flicked his tail with interest. "A new cat should be chosen; a new fire." The tom's gaze was filled with hope.

"The prophecy is lost, Fuzzypelt." The big golden tabby tom rose to his paws. "There is no fire, and sending signs will not change that."

"We're just going to sit by and allow ThunderClan to be destroyed?" Fuzzypelt meowed. "Do you have a better idea, Lionheart?"

"The darkness must be stopped," Lionheart meowed solemnly. "We will not allow ThunderClan to fall without doing something." He looked like he was about to say more, but fell silent as a small tortoiseshell tom stepped forward. "Redtail, you know that better than any of us what Tigerclaw is capable of," Lionheart mewed quietly.

Redtail nodded. "I don't think any of us are suggesting that we sit by and do nothing. I, for one, would like justice for what has happened, and to take action to at least try to prevent what is to come. But our options are limited. There are few cats who have the knowledge that can save ThunderClan, and we must proceed carefully. We have learned of two cats that may play a role in ThunderClan's future, but their fates are unclear," he continued, nodding to the starlit pool. "With the loss of the fire, our past prophecies have been thrown into turmoil. Does any cat have any suggestions?

"We must choose wisely," Lionheart meowed darkly, staring into the water. "Only one of them will become a warrior, I can feel it..."

"How can you know that?" asked Fuzzypelt, his normally fluffed out fur bristling even more than usual.

"You cannot deny your truest instincts, Fuzzypelt. You know that as well as I."

Robinwing was gazing intensely into the pool, trying to make out what lay in its depths. She clearly understood what Lionheart was saying, and her eyes held a desperate glint as she stared into the water.

"If only one can survive, who do we choose?" one of the cats murmured quietly, looking down at the pool. The question triggered a flurry of responses.

"It isn't a matter of choice, it's a matter of guiding," another cat meowed. "And I'm not convinced that we should. What if this is what was meant to be?"

"We still have time..." The starlit clearing dissolved into loud muttering as cats discussed options with each other.

After a long time, Redtail stood up, raising his tail to gain the attention of the other StarClan cats. "Have we come to a decision?"

Robinwing turned to face Redtail. "It has to be him," she meowed, nodding at one of the dark figures in the reflection.

Lionheart stood up and padded over to face Robinwing. "You would condemn an innocent kit to a fate she should never have had, twisting her destiny forever?" His tone was mild, but his gaze was serious.

"He is the only one with the knowledge that can save the forest," Robinwing insisted fiercely. "He must be the one."

"It isn't her destiny," Lionheart pointed out calmly.

"It wasn't _his_ destiny either!" Robinwing shot back.

Lionheart sighed. "You must put your feelings aside. The destiny of the whole of ThunderClan lies in the balance."

"Are you saying I shouldn't care?!" Robinwing bristled.

Spottedleaf laid her tail on the brown she-cat in a calming gesture. "Robinwing, of course you should care about the outcome; we would never expect you not to."

"But the fate of all four Clans is at stake," Redtail pointed out. "We cannot base our decision on emotion."

"Indeed." Lionheart dipped his head. "I have my preferences, but I will abide by whatever decision we come to."

"He is too young to die," Robinwing meowed. "Both of them are."

"I didn't say they were going to die," Lionheart protested calmly. "I merely pointed out that one of these cats will not become a warrior."

Robinwing lashed her tail. "Well, what is that supposed to mean then?! It's the same thing!"

"Whatever we decide, neither of these cats have an innate connection with StarClan," Spottedleaf mewed, cutting across the argument. "But that can't be helped. The fire is gone, and a new one must rise if the Clans are to survive."

* * *

Allegiances

**ThunderClan**

Leader- Bluestar- blue-gray she-cat

Deputy- Tigerclaw- big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws; Apprentice- Ravenpaw

Medicine Cat- Yellowfang- old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face, formerly of ShadowClan

Warriors-

Whitestorm- big white tom; Apprentice- Sandpaw

Willowpelt- very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Runningwind- swift tabby tom

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat

Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes; Apprentice- Swiftpaw

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom; Apprentice- Cinderpaw

Graystripe- long haired solid gray tom; Apprentice- Brackenpaw

Apprentices-

Ravenpaw- small, skinny black tom with a white dash on his chest, and white tipped tail

Sandpaw- pale ginger she-cat

Swiftpaw- black and white tom

Cinderpaw- dark gray she-cat

Brackenpaw- golden brown tabby tom

Queens-

Frostfur- white she-cat with blue eyes

Brindleface- pale tabby she-cat

Goldenflower- pale ginger she-cat

Speckletail- pale tabby, the oldest nursery queen

Elders-

Halftail- big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

Smallear- gray tom with very small ears

Patchpelt- small black and white tom

One-Eye- pale gray she-cat

Dappletail- tortoiseshell she-cat

**ShadowClan**

Leader- Nightpelt- old black tom

Deputy- Cinderfur- thin gray tom

Medicine Cat- Runningnose- small gray and white tom

Warriors-

Stumpytail- brown tabby tom; Apprentice- Brownpaw

Wetfoot- gray tabby tom; Apprentice- Oakpaw

Littlecloud- very small tabby tom

Queens-

Dawncloud- small tabby she-cat

Darkflower- black she-cat

Tallpoppy- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

Elders-

Ashfur- thin gray tom

**WindClan**

Leader- Tallstar- black and white tom with a very long tail

Deputy- Deadfoot- black tom with a twisted foot

Medicine Cat- Barkface- short-tailed brown tom

Warriors-

Mudclaw- mottled brown tom; Apprentice- Webpaw

Tornear- tabby tom; Apprentice- Runningpaw

Onewhisker- young brown tabby tom; Apprentice- Whitepaw

Queens-

Ashfoot- gray she-cat

Morningflower- tortoiseshell she-cat

**RiverClan**

Leader- Crookedstar- huge light-colored tabby with a twisted jaw

Deputy- Leopardfur- unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

Medicine Cat- Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom

Warriors-

Blackclaw- smoky black tom; Apprentice- Heavypaw

Stonefur- blue-gray tom; Apprentice- Shadepaw

Mistyfoot- blue-gray she-cat

Loudbelly- dark brown tom

Whiteclaw- dark tom with white paws

Silverstream- slender silver tabby she-cat

**Cats Outside Clans**

Barley- black and white tom who lives on a farm close to the forest

Brokenstar- long haired dark brown tabby tom with a broken tail, formerly of ShadowClan

Blackfoot- large white tom with huge black paws, formerly of ShadowClan

Clawface- battle scarred brown tom, formerly of ShadowClan

Darkstripe- sleek black and gray tabby tom, formerly of ThunderClan

* * *


	2. Chapter 1

 

 

 

The sound of paws pounding against the ground echoed like thunder. Within a deep forest, a sleek black cat was running. He crashed through a narrow path through the undergrowth, his white tipped tail fluffed out behind him.

Suddenly a gray blur flickered at the corner of his vision; the skinny black tom hurtled toward the nearest tree. He leaped at a point midway up its trunk, and digging his claws into the rough bark to push himself up, he hunkered down in the shadow between two larger branches. His pursuer wouldn't find him here.

Or would he? "Come out, come out, Ravenpaw," a voice called above his head. Ravenpaw immediately shot off from his hiding spot, descending the tree in long, swift bounds.

He set off on the path he'd started from again, but the familiar voice sounded from ahead of him now. "You know I'll find you eventually."

Panting, he spun on his paws and raced back in the direction from which he had come.

But the gray and black striped cat was still following; Ravenpaw could see his pelt through the gaps in the brambles. Ravenpaw whirled around again, this time to race deeper into the shadowy forest. "No- please- no." He kept running for what felt like moons, always aware that he was being watched, always knowing that his attacker was just a few pawsteps behind.

Suddenly Ravenpaw felt jaws clamp around his hind leg and he stumbled to the ground. Ravenpaw shrank back from the snarling striped tom, and in a swift movement jerked his leg away.

Once more, he bolted away. He thought he had finally lost the cat when the tom leaped out from the bushes ahead of him. "Hello, Ravenpaw. Miss me?"

Somehow the black striped tom had morphed into a larger, dark brown tabby.

"Tigerclaw!" Ravenpaw gasped. The huge dark tabby leaped at Ravenpaw and caught him in his massive paws. Tigerclaw raised a forepaw, his unusually large claws unsheathed as Ravenpaw frantically struggled to escape. "No, no!"

"Will you be quiet?!" The voice jerked Ravenpaw out of his nightmare. He opened his eyes blearily. A pale ginger she-cat was glaring at him. "I swear, I never get any sleep with all your mumbling."

Ravenpaw's eyes were still out of focus. "Oh. Sorry, Sandpaw," he mewed quietly.

"You should be," Sandpaw snapped. Ravenpaw shivered. He knew it had just been a dream, but he still had trouble shaking himself out of his panic. It had felt so real: Darkstripe's glare, the flashing claws, the sudden appearance of his mentor, Tigerclaw, ready to kill him. They were all his worst nightmares combined into one, terrifying dream.

Sandpaw sighed. "I don't even see why I'm still here. I know just as much as Dustpelt. I should be a warrior as well, not stuck here with you."

"I guess if we had been at the battle-" Ravenpaw put in.

"We should have been. Maybe if Dustpelt had said something instead of running off by himself all of us would be warriors by now." Ravenpaw watched silently as Sandpaw continued, lashing her tail. "Dustpelt," she growled under her breath. "He thinks he's the greatest cat to walk the forest now that he's a warrior."

Ravenpaw blinked. He was surprised to hear Sandpaw talking so negatively about the brown tabby tom. As apprentices the two had been friends, but now that Dustpelt had been named a warrior, it seemed that the two were drifting apart.

And it wasn't just Sandpaw. Ravenpaw had never been close with Dustpelt, but now the tom was actively avoiding him. He blinked sadly at the thought of his littermate, remembering his outrage at Ravenpaw's accusations of Tigerclaw. Although Dustpelt was his brother, they had never been close, but Ravenpaw had thought his littermate would have at least considered what he said. But the brown tabby warrior had dismissed him completely, unable to believe that Tigerclaw was capable of murdering another cat.

Ravenpaw was shivering at the thought when Whitestorm appeared in the entrance to the apprentices' den. "Sandpaw, it is time for training."

"Coming." Sandpaw gave herself one last wash and then left the apprentices' den, shooting Ravenpaw an angry glance as she went. He realized he must have underestimated how envious Sandpaw was of Dustpelt's new warrior status; she had been in a terrible mood for days and showed no sign of stopping.

Now Ravenpaw found himself alone. He and Sandpaw were the only apprentices in ThunderClan now that Dustpelt and Graystripe had been named warriors, and Ravenpaw was definitely growing a bit lonely without his friend. _Even Graystripe's a warrior,_ Ravenpaw thought dully, placing his head on his paws. _And he's a full two moons younger than me._

Knowing he should be grateful to be alive even if he wasn't a warrior, he pushed the thought away. He knew that he was definitely not ready for his warrior name yet, however much he wanted it. The main reason he even wanted to become a warrior was the fact that he wouldn't have to train with Tigerclaw anymore.

_I'm alive,_ Ravenpaw remembered abruptly. He reflected on how lucky he was not to be dead many times during the past quarter moon; some mornings he was still in shock that he hadn't joined StarClan.

Ravenpaw sighed. It had been a nice change to not have to get up and train with Tigerclaw every day, since much of his apprenticeship had been tainted by fear of the dark brown tabby warrior. Ever since he had witnessed Tigerclaw murdering ThunderClan's former deputy, Redtail, he had been trapped in a state of nervousness that never seemed to ease. But now, in spite of his near death just a few days earlier, Ravenpaw felt at peace. For the first time in many moons he didn't have to worry about either pleasing his mentor or being killed by him. Ravenpaw doubted that Tigerclaw would try to murder him now, so soon after Darkstripe had accused the dark tabby tom of ordering an attack on his apprentice.

The attack had been vicious. Ravenpaw had originally been sent on a hunting mission by Tigerclaw that night. He had been lulled into a false sense of security when Tigerclaw didn't join him, and he hadn't conceived the possibility that Tigerclaw might have sent another warrior to kill him. It had only been a patrol of warriors led by Whitestorm that had saved him from certain death.

He had lived- but he hadn't escaped unscathed. Darkstripe's teeth had given him a nasty gash in his neck that had kept him from training for the past few days.

Deciding that he should get his wound checked now, he exited the apprentices' den and padded out into the cold morning light. As he crossed the camp he noticed several of his Clanmates looking at him. From outside the nursery Goldenflower blinked sympathetically, while two other queens, Frostfur and Brindleface, shared a knowing glance with each other. He was used to their pitying gazes by now. He sighed. It was better than the short period of time when the entire Clan hated him.

Ravenpaw suppressed a shudder as he remembered. It had started when Tigerclaw became Clan deputy, and intensified after he had been ordered to hunt on ShadowClan territory by his cruel mentor. Ravenpaw had been utterly confused at the time as to why the cats of ThunderClan were looking at him strangely and talking about him behind his back, but later he had learned that Tigerclaw started the rumor of Ravenpaw's betrayal of ThunderClan, aided by Darkstripe. With Darkstripe gone, Ravenpaw hoped things would return to normal.

But things would never be back to normal, not with Lionheart and Spottedleaf gone. Ravenpaw reluctantly padded to the medicine den, wishing that Spottedleaf was still alive. The tortoiseshell medicine cat had been kind and gentle, completely unlike Yellowfang. He was still rather intimidated by the elderly she-cat, and he hesitated when he reached her den.

Ravenpaw stared into the dark entrance of the cavern. "Yellowfang?"

"Who is it?" a voice called.

"Um . . . it's Ravenpaw," he answered, not knowing if she was mocking him or not. "I'm here so you can check on my wound."

"Bah!" Yellowfang rasped, emerging into the light of the camp. "I haven't forgotten!" She padded up to him and began to sniff at his healing neck wound, and Ravenpaw had to prevent himself from flinching away. He remembered when he had first met her in the forest all those moons ago, when she had been half starved and raring for a fight. It was bizarre to him that the same cat who had attacked him so viciously was now tending his injuries.

Yellowfang continued sniffing at his injury. Suddenly she stopped. "Uh oh."

Ravenpaw looked at her fearfully. "What? What's wrong? Is it infected?"

"No," she whispered, her tone grave. Sighing, she allowed her eyes to meet his. "It has almost completely healed. You can go back to training tomorrow."

"Oh." Ravenpaw blinked. She was teasing him.

Yellowfang tilted her head. "You really hate warrior training, don't you?"

Ravenpaw bristled. "I'd be glad to return to training," he lied, his mew shrill.

"You're not fooling me- that was bad news for you." She paused, narrowing her orange eyes. "Any cat would think one would _want_ to train to serve their Clan."

The protest faded in Ravenpaw's throat. Yellowfang continued to stare at him, and the two cats stood in an awkward silence.

"Well thanks then . . . Yellowfang." Feeling the old she-cat's gaze boring into him, he began to pad away, his pelt prickling. Why was Yellowfang of all cats questioning him? It wasn't like she cared about his well-being; her prior insults had proven that.

Ravenpaw braced his shoulders as he walked. He had been hoping he could get a few more days without Tigerclaw, but now he would have to prepare himself. Tigerclaw would make no allowances for an injury, and that was only the least of his worries...

What if Tigerclaw tried to kill him? _He won't,_ Ravenpaw meowed inwardly, trying to calm himself. _He wouldn't want to risk any cat thinking he actually did order Darkstripe to attack me. There's no way he will try anything right now; it would be obvious if he tried to get rid of me._

But would it? Ravenpaw rasped his tongue across his chest, smoothing his ruffled fur. A thousand scenarios raced through his mind, and an image of Tigerclaw pushing him off the edge of Sunningrocks into the river flashed in front of his eyes. He resolved to be especially careful around the river.

Hopefully he could train with Sandpaw as well. Although he didn't particularly care for the she-cat, the presence of her mentor, Whitestorm, would keep Tigerclaw's derogatory remarks in check.

Sighing, he noticed a burst of activity by the nursery. Brindleface's kits were walking around outside their den's thick walls, staring at the camp in awe. Frostfur's kits. Cinderkit and Brackenkit, were chasing their older denmate, Swiftkit, past the fresh-kill pile, their tails streaming behind them like leaves in the wind. Ravenpaw reflected that all three kits were getting big; they would be old enough to be made apprentices soon.

Cinderkit noticed Ravenpaw watching them. "Ravenpaw!" she called, her voice ringing across the camp. "Watch this!" She put in a burst of speed and managed to catch up to Swiftkit, and with a rapid kick off the ground, leaped onto his back. Both kits toppled over, and Brackenkit skidded to a halt behind them, narrowly avoiding the jumble of kits himself.

When the kits had managed to disentangle themselves, Cinderkit looked up expectantly. "Good one," Ravenpaw praised, whiskers twitching.

Cinderkit and Swiftkit raced away, while Brackenkit followed them more slowly.

Cinderkit's attention turned to Frostfur, who was grooming her two youngest kits. "Frostfur, look!" She fell into a crouch and then leaped, earning affirmative meows from the queens.

Taking a deep breath, Ravenpaw observed the appearance of the rest of the ThunderClan camp. All was peaceful. Blinking slowly, Ravenpaw wondered how he should spend his time on his last day being confined to the camp. There wasn't very much to do now that the threat of ShadowClan was gone; the camp walls had been reinforced many times over in recent moons and the fresh-kill pile was well stocked. He couldn't help out in the medicine den- well, he supposed he could, but he still didn't trust Yellowfang enough to purposely seek her out. And as much as he knew the kits wanted to spend time with him, he didn't want to obligate himself to entertaining them for the rest of the day. Besides, the memory of the nursery queens' harsh treatment towards him in the wake of ShadowClan's theft of the kits was still too fresh.

He decided to go with something simple. _I'll take a nap._

As Ravenpaw made his way back to the apprentices' den, a vindictive meow ruffled his ear fur. "You." Looking up, a chill coursed through Ravenpaw's pelt as he saw the source of the growl. _Tigerclaw._ "Where have you been?"

"I was just at the medicine den," replied Ravenpaw, flattening his ears.

"And do you _still_ need more time to recover from that cut?"

Ravenpaw glanced sideways, avoiding Tigerclaw's eyes. "No, Tigerclaw. I've been cleared to resume training tomorrow."

"Good." But the malicious gleam in his gaze seemed to say otherwise. "You have a lot of catching up to do. But then again, you always did. At this rate you might not make warrior before Brindleface's kits." He stalked off, and Ravenpaw let out a long breath. His heart threatened to beat out of his chest, and it took a while to return to its natural, calm rhythm.

Could he really be so sure that Tigerclaw wouldn't try to kill him? Tigerclaw had turned the Clan against him in a matter of days, and it had been easy enough for him to convince the Clan that he wasn't involved in Darkstripe's attempt at murdering Ravenpaw. What if he just murdered Ravenpaw and passed it off as an attack by a fox or an enemy patrol? Ravenpaw pondered telling Bluestar once again, but immediately shook his head to clear it. Bluestar would never believe him.

Cats were beginning to return from their patrols. Longtail was mewing to Mousefur, as Runningwind padded close behind. "I'll probably be getting Goldenflower's kit to mentor. I spoke to Bluestar and she thinks I'm ready for an apprentice." The pale tabby puffed out his chest.

Mousefur and Runningwind murmured their congratulations. They paid no notice to Ravenpaw as he passed, although Ravenpaw wasn't focused on them either. He sat down facing the gorse tunnel; he still had one thing he wanted to do before he went to sleep. Spotting the familiar brown tabby pelt, Ravenpaw leaped to his paws and bounded up to the cat he had been trying to speak to for days.

"Hi, Dustpelt."

Dustpelt, who had just made his way through the gorse tunnel carrying a large blackbird, flicked his tail irritably. "What do you want?" he meowed through a mouthful of feathers.

"I... I just wanted to talk to you." Ravenpaw trailed behind as Dustpelt made his way across the camp, adjusting the grip of the blackbird in his jaws.

Dustpelt dropped it at the entrance to the medicine den; even though it was no longer his job to hunt for Yellowfang, he was still in the habit of bringing her prey. "I can't now. Sorry."

"You can't what?" Yellowfang padded out from her den, eyes gleaming mischievously. "Don't stop talking on my account."

Dustpelt and Ravenpaw stared at each other, shuffling their paws awkwardly. Yellowfang watched Ravenpaw with the same searching gaze as she had before, and Ravenpaw avoided her eyes. "Nothing. See you later, Dustpelt."

He bounded away without sparing a second glance. He could hear their mews as he hurried away from them. "What's up with him?" Yellowfang meowed.

"No idea," Dustpelt muttered.

Ravenpaw began to make his way back to the apprentices' den, feeling defeated. Dustpelt didn't believe him, yet he trusted a former ShadowClan cat. Even though Yellowfang was loyal to ThunderClan now, Ravenpaw could not understand why his brother would want to share prey with the old she-cat; she had a terrible temper and a sharp tongue to match.

He settled himself by the apprentices' den in a patch of sunlight. Ravenpaw's spirits rose when he saw Graystripe returning to camp. He raised his tail in greeting, and the gray warrior hurried over to join him. "Any news?" Graystripe meowed, sitting at his normal spot from during his apprentice days.

Ravenpaw shrugged, his mood souring. "I'm cleared to start my warrior training again."

"That's great!" Graystripe nudged him enthusiastically, but then his face fell. "What's the matter?"

Ravenpaw shifted his paws. "You know how it is. Tigerclaw isn't too happy I took so long to recover." He glanced away.

Graystripe scoffed. "Oh, Tigerclaw will get over it." His whiskers twitched. "Besides, he'll want to make sure you know your stuff, considering his first apprentice betrayed the Clan. You'll be the best warrior ThunderClan has ever seen when he's done with you!"

"As if training with Tigerclaw isn't intense enough," Ravenpaw muttered darkly.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." He gave Ravenpaw another hearty nudge. "Oh, look at that," Graystripe meowed, looking up. "Willowpelt's caught a rabbit." He trotted over to the growing crowd of cats. Ravenpaw followed him more slowly.

"Great catch, Willowpelt!"

"Yes, well done. That will feed most of the elders."

"Great StarClan! That's the biggest rabbit I've seen since last new-leaf!"

The cats gathered around, tails flicking excitedly as they praised Willowpelt's good hunting. Whitestorm was nodding, while Longtail, Mousefur and Runningwind murmured their appreciation. Even Bluestar emerged from her den, and she padded over to the group, looking pleased.

While the cats clumped around by the fresh-kill pile, meowing excitedly to each other, Ravenpaw watched them from a ways off. This was the happiest he'd seen the Clan since Darkstripe's exile. He wished he could share in their contentment, but he knew that as long as the threat of Tigerclaw loomed over his head, he would never truly be at peace.

 


	3. Chapter 2

"What can you scent?" Whitestorm asked.

Ravenpaw padded out to the front of the patrol, brushing past Tigerclaw and Sandpaw as he went. He breathed in deeply, trying to sift through the individual smells of the woods. "Stale rabbit," he mewed softly. "A dog passed by here this morning but it's gone now. And"- he paused, sniffing deeply- "mouse." Turning to Whitestorm expectantly, he tilted his head. "Can I?"

Whitestorm nodded. "Go ahead."

Eyeing the crinkled brown leaves littering the forest floor, Ravenpaw dropped into a hunter's crouch. He began to creep forward, his belly fur brushing the ground.

Trotting quickly, he made his way through the undergrowth, taking care to avoid dry crackling leaves and twigs, and when he was within a fox-length of the mouse, he waited in silence. Charging forward, he pounced as the mouse attempted to bolt away, and sank his teeth into its throat. He padded back to the group triumphantly. His first day back to training wasn't turning out badly at all.

"Well done," Whitestorm praised him. "Bury it and we'll pick it up on the way back." Beside him Tigerclaw and Sandpaw waited for Ravenpaw to finish, their tails flicking.

Tigerclaw gave a noncommittal grunt from where he stood, and Ravenpaw couldn't tell if it was dismissive or encouraging. The dark tabby tom had been mostly silent today, allowing Whitestorm to lead the patrol. _This isn't terrible,_ Ravenpaw realized. _Tigerclaw has barely even looked at me._

Having finished covering the mouse in soil, Ravenpaw and the patrol continued toward the RiverClan border. As they made their way through the forest, Ravenpaw and Sandpaw took the lead, while Whitestorm and Tigerclaw padded side by side behind them.

"So have you heard that Longtail is going to mentor Goldenflower's kit?" Whitestorm mewed to Tigerclaw. Ravenpaw twisted his ears back to listen, and noticed Sandpaw do the same.

Tigerclaw snorted. "Haven't we all? It's all he's talked about for days."

Whitestorm purred. "He is a young warrior; I'm sure he is excited." He lowered his voice. "You remember how you were when you got your first apprentice." Ravenpaw dared to glance back at the two older warriors. Tigerclaw's face was unreadable. "The ceremony is tomorrow."

Ravenpaw's ears twitched. It had been moons since he had gotten a new denmate.

Sandpaw flicked her tail at Ravenpaw to get his attention. "It was nice while it lasted, I guess."

Ravenpaw blinked, utterly confused. "What?"

"Having the apprentices' den to ourselves, mousebrain," Sandpaw replied.

Ravenpaw's tail twitched in surprise. He had been sure that Sandpaw had been annoyed by his presence.

"We have so much space in there," Sandpaw explained quickly, noticing his befuddled expression. "And now some six moon old kit is going to come in and take up a nest."

Ravenpaw nodded vigorously. "Right."

Sandpaw's eyes narrowed mischievously. "Although it will be nice to have a new 'paw to take over the elder's duties . . ." She paused, flicking her ears. "Actually, I change my mind. With another apprentice in the Clan we won't have to deal with that. More battle training for us."

Ravenpaw flicked his ears in acknowledgement. _He_ certainly wasn't looking forward to more battle training.

"Hopefully his mentor teaches him how to collect moss on his first day." Sandpaw mrrowed in amusement. "Like Whitestorm did with me. I swear, I didn't learn any battle moves for half a moon since I was stuck gathering moss for the elders."

The sudden mew from behind Ravenpaw surprised him. "I hope I'm not hearing what I think I'm hearing," Whitestorm called, a stern note to his voice. Sandpaw lowered her head guiltily. "It is an honor to care for the elders of our Clan," Whitestorm continued. "It would do you two well to remember that." Ravenpaw's fur prickled. He hadn't agreed with Sandpaw- _out loud,_ he thought- but he knew enough to keep his mouth shut.

"Yes, Whitestorm," they replied in unison. Ravenpaw exchanged a glance with Sandpaw, and they continued through the woods. Above their heads, the pale cloud covered sky dampened the sunlight, and Ravenpaw fluffed out his fur. He couldn't smell rain, but he wished it would storm a little just so the sky would clear afterward.

They had stopped in a shaded clearing to search for prey when suddenly, Whitestorm froze. "Do you smell that?"

Startled by the white warrior's sudden concern, Ravenpaw opened his mouth, letting the smells of the forest wash over his tongue. He immediately picked up the terrible familiar scent, and instinctively backpedaled to stand closer to Whitestorm.

"Darkstripe was here," Tigerclaw spat. "And not long ago by the scent of him."

Ravenpaw bristled, his tail lashing.

Sandpaw kneaded her paws into the forest floor. "Are we going to track him down? We could scare him off!"

Whitestorm shook his head. "No. We're close enough to the edge of our territory that he's probably gone by now. But we'll tell Bluestar when we get back."

Ravenpaw exhaled, thankful that he wouldn't have to confront the murderous former warrior, and he noticed his mentor relax slightly at Whitestorm's words. But Ravenpaw knew that Tigerclaw's relief was for a different reason than his own; he was probably worried that Darkstripe would convince their Clanmates of his treachery if they confronted him.

"The Clan needs to know that he isn't respecting our borders," growled the dark brown tabby warrior. "We should head back at once."

"I agree," Whitestorm replied, and with that the four cats made their way back to the ThunderClan camp.

* * *

The camp was quiet when Bluestar called out the summons for a Clan meeting. Ravenpaw had been resting with his head on his paws in the shadow of the apprentices' den, and he jerked awake from his dozing. It had been a long day; when he had returned to camp Whitestorm and Tigerclaw had broken off from the patrol to make their report to Bluestar. Ravenpaw figured that she was about to announce Darkstripe's trespassing before he noticed Goldenflower sitting at the front of the group with her black-and-white kit.

Realizing that it was time for Swiftkit to become an apprentice, he padded over to a spot where he would be able to see the naming ceremony. Peering over the crowd, Ravenpaw spotted him. The small tom was wide eyed and fearful, reminding Ravenpaw of himself when he had been named an apprentice. He settled himself at the edge of the crowd as Bluestar began to speak.

"Before we start the ceremony, there is something all of you need to know," Bluestar meowed, sweeping her gaze over the ThunderClan camp. "As you may have heard, several of our cats picked up the scent of Darkstripe on our territory today." Immediately a low hum of concerned murmuring rose into the air. "His scent trail led out of our territory into Twolegplace, and even though he must have been on our territory for only a short time, the fact is that he did trespass, and therefore we should be on alert. Patrols in the area will be increased." She turned to Ravenpaw, and his pelt twitched as the rest of the Clan followed her gaze. "Ravenpaw, for the time being, you should always have another cat with you when you leave the camp. Darkstripe may take his chance for revenge if he were to find you alone."

Ravenpaw nodded, unsurprised at her order. He had to concentrate on not allowing his tail to bristle; he had hoped that he would never have to think about Darkstripe again, and now the treacherous cat was roaming about within ThunderClan territory.

Tigerclaw stood up and faced the Clan from his spot a few paces from the Highrock. "I will see to it that patrols around Twolegplace are increased. Additionally, if any of you notice anything out of the ordinary within our territory, inform Bluestar or myself immediately."

"Thank you," Bluestar meowed, sharing a nod with her deputy, and then turning back to the gathered ThunderClan cats. "And now, it is time to make a new apprentice."

The tension in the clearing eased slightly as they moved onto the ceremony.

"Until this apprentice has received his warrior name, he will be known as Swiftpaw," Bluestar meowed, looking down warmly on the young black-and-white tom. "Longtail, you will be Swiftpaw's mentor. You are an intelligent and loyal warrior. Pass these qualities on to your apprentice." Longtail stepped forward proudly, and touched noses with Swiftpaw.

There was a spattering of cheering. Swiftpaw's mother, Goldenflower called out his name the loudest. Soon the yowls died down, although the feeling of cheerfulness that seemed to have washed across the camp remained. Then the meeting slowly broke up as cats edged their way out of the clearing and back into their dens, while a few groups of cats still congregated at the center. Sandpaw walked up to Ravenpaw, her pale green eyes gleaming. "Poor kit. He looks like he's about to jump out of his fur."

Shrugging, Ravenpaw waited for Longtail and Swiftpaw to finish talking to one another. The young apprentice was slouching, his anxiety over his new place in the Clan clear as day. Seeing Swiftpaw talk to his new mentor brought Ravenpaw back to when he had first met Tigerclaw. He had always been intimidated by his mentor, but even then he had never thought Tigerclaw capable of murder until he'd witnessed it with his own eyes. Ravenpaw shivered. How different would his life have been if some other cat had been his mentor?

Ravenpaw meowed a warm greeting when Swiftpaw padded over to meet him, which the small tom returned hesitantly. Although Ravenpaw's mood had darkened considerably since Bluestar's announcement, he was still glad to see a new apprentice being made. He remembered seeing the young tom in the nursery, running after his denmates. Swiftpaw was much larger now, although he still exuded the same nervous energy.

"Come on," Sandpaw mewed. "We'll show you the apprentices' den."

The small tom nodded wordlessly, his eyes anxious.

Ravenpaw jerked his head up when Dustpelt padded straight past him, just a tail-length away. He hadn't been able to talk to Dustpelt for days- this was his chance to try and convince him he had been telling the truth about Tigerclaw! "I'll be at the den in a moment," Ravenpaw meowed, turning to run after his littermate.

"Alright," Sandpaw replied, her eyes glittering mischievously. "Don't be too long, or Swiftpaw might decide to steal your nest."

Swiftpaw whipped around, looking horrified.

"It won't take long." Ravenpaw bounded across the camp toward his brother.

Dustpelt showed no sign of noticing his presence. Ravenpaw trotted after him, but Dustpelt was moving too quickly. Trying to get his attention he called out, "Dustpelt, wait, I-" but Dustpelt had already disappeared into the warriors' den, leaving Ravenpaw staring at the entrance, while some of the warriors gave him odd glances.

_Maybe tomorrow he'll listen._ Ravenpaw trudged back to the apprentices' den, his tail hanging low in defeat.

* * *

The Gathering was the next night. Unfortunately for Ravenpaw, he hadn't been chosen to attend. Perhaps Bluestar was trying to save him the awkwardness when she announced to the other Clans that he had nearly been killed by Darkstripe, but in a way it was still disappointing. He had only been to one Gathering in his entire life, and it seemed to him as though many cats were in the Gathering patrol almost every moon.

Although Bluestar had announced that she would inform the other Clans of Darkstripe's betrayal, Ravenpaw knew that Tigerclaw didn't want Bluestar to make the announcement; he had heard them discussing it once early one morning during his recovery.

"Do you plan to tell RiverClan and ShadowClan about the traitor?" Tigerclaw had asked.

"Yes." Bluestar's answer was immediate. "If we don't, and a cat who smells of ThunderClan appears on their territories, we will shoulder the blame."

"True," Tigerclaw had growled, his eyes amber slits. "Aren't you worried, though, that the other Clans may think us unable to control our warriors if we need to resort to banishment for their crimes?"

"They will think us unable to control our warriors if we don't tell them, and Darkstripe trespasses upon their hunting grounds," Bluestar pointed out. "I can see you're skeptical Tigerclaw, but informing the other Clans is necessary. We will only tell them what they need to know: Darkstripe apparently went mad and attacked one of our apprentices, and he was sentenced to exile."

After a long moment, Tigerclaw had then nodded. Ravenpaw reflected that Tigerclaw probably didn't want anything revealed about Darkstripe that could be traced back to him.

Back in the present, Ravenpaw was pondering whether or not he even wanted to go to the Gathering anyway. Graystripe was going; it would be his first Gathering as a warrior. Ravenpaw felt a prickle of sadness. His former denmate was focused on his life as a warrior now; would he even have time for a friend from his apprentice days? _Of course he does,_ Ravenpaw told himself. _He said he wanted us to hunt together the other day; we just haven't gotten the chance yet._

Ravenpaw shook his head, wishing he was attending the Gathering alongside his friend, but he recognized that at least he wouldn't have the chance to endanger himself at this one. He winced, remembering how he had foolishly told the story of the battle with RiverClan in which ThunderClan believed Redtail had died during his first and only Gathering. His big mouth had nearly cost him his life when Tigerclaw had heard him, and he resolved to think before he spoke in the future. Even with Tigerclaw reluctant to make a move at the moment, he wasn't going to take any chances.

Ravenpaw still hadn't made any headway in convincing Dustpelt of Tigerclaw's deceit, since the young brown tabby continued to walk away whenever he tried to talk to him. Ravenpaw knew that he could convince him if Dustpelt just gave him the chance, but he hadn't seen him all day; his littermate had hunted all morning before retreating to the warriors' den. Hopefully enough time had passed by now that Dustpelt had thought about it. Ravenpaw decided he'd try to talk to Dustpelt before he left for the Gathering; it might be the only chance he got for several days if Dustpelt was set on ignoring him.

Soon the moon rose and Bluestar appeared at the entrance to the ThunderClan camp. Her outline dark against the unusually pale night sky, she waved her tail to signal the cats chosen for the Gathering to join her.

The cats began to follow her into the gorse tunnel. Ravenpaw glanced around, and finally spotted his littermate.

Racing after his brother, Ravenpaw called out to him. "Dustpelt, wait!"

Dustpelt slowly turned with an irritated flick of his tail. "What?"

Ravenpaw trotted over to him, stopping at his side. "You're avoiding me."

"Maybe I wouldn't have to if you quit pestering me." Cats continued to mill about around them, waiting for their turn to enter the gorse tunnel.

"I know you don't believe me, but just give me the chance to explain-"

Dustpelt began to pad away. "Just stop, Ravenpaw. I don't want to hear about this anymore."

He turned and disappeared, his shadow joining with the rest of their Clanmates as they pushed their way through the gorse tunnel. Even though Dustpelt had never paid him much attention, his disregard still hurt like thorns.

_How will any cat believe me if I can't convince my own brother?_


	4. Chapter 3

The sound of crashing caused Ravenpaw to jerk awake. He bolted to his paws, ready to leap into battle, and wondered why any Clan would want to attack ThunderClan right now; hadn't they been at peace for the last moon? Then he heard his Clanmates' voices, sounding stressed but not panicked. The ThunderClan patrol must have returned from the Gathering.

Giving himself a self-reassuring lick to his chest, he squeezed his way out of the apprentices' den and padded into the main clearing, where most of the ThunderClan cats were already gathered. Ravenpaw weaved his way through the crowd as meows echoed around him.

Bluestar was sitting atop the Highrock, her blue-gray fur gleaming in the light of the setting moon. "There was a great deal of tension at the Gathering tonight. I informed the other Clans of Darkstripe's betrayal, and as expected, they were quite interested as to why a ThunderClan warrior would suddenly attack an apprentice."

"What did you tell them?" Willowpelt called as Ravenpaw slid into an open spot next to Graystripe and Dustpelt.

"That it was none of their concern," Bluestar told her.

"They sure disagreed with that," Graystripe meowed. Ravenpaw felt the fur rise on the back of his neck.

"Yes, they certainly did," Dustpelt spat. "Some of the cats were asking me about him at the end. Since he was my mentor, naturally I should know why he went mad."

Longtail looked over at Dustpelt. "Me too. They thought I was in on it!"

"Surely it wasn't necessary to tell the other Clans about this, Bluestar," rasped One-Eye from the back of the group. "It made us appear weak."

Bluestar waited for the chorus of mews to die down and then continued. "I believe that it was necessary. Darkstripe could trespass on the other Clan territories, and by telling them they won't be able to accuse ThunderClan of anything if they were to find him on their territory. The other Clans would have noticed eventually; Darkstripe was well-known to all Clans and it would seem suspicious if he didn't show up to Gatherings for moons on end." Bluestar paused, watching the crowd. "The meeting changed direction soon after that when Nightpelt gave ShadowClan's news."

"Nightpelt? Isn't he a ShadowClan elder?" Willowpelt meowed, sounding confused. Ravenpaw exhaled, glad that the discussion was moving away from Darkstripe.

Bluestar dipped her head at Willowpelt, acknowledging that she had heard. "He has been named ShadowClan's new leader."

"But he hasn't taken his leader name yet; how can he speak for ShadowClan?" Willowpelt asked. Ravenpaw shared her confusion. He had never heard of a cat not taking their StarClan given name before appearing as Clan leader.

"It is against the warrior code for a cat who hasn't been accepted by StarClan to represent their Clan at a Gathering," One-Eye murmured darkly. Halftail and Patchpelt muttered their agreement beside her.

"He has the support of ShadowClan, One-Eye. Even though he may not have been approved by StarClan, it would be unwise to ignore what he said tonight. When I suggested that we find WindClan and bring them back to their territory, both Crookedstar and Nightpelt disagreed with me. They don't want WindClan to return, although why that may be I am not sure."

"They're hunting on WindClan territory. They want their prey," Tigerclaw growled, clearly disdainful.

"Why though?" Runningwind meowed. "I can understand ShadowClan, maybe, but RiverClan? They have the river. It doesn't make sense." He shook his head, confused.

"Frostfur and I spoke to some RiverClan elders at the Gathering," Dappletail meowed from her spot beside Patchpelt and One-Eye. "They told me that Twolegs were taking over part of the river." Ravenpaw blinked. That seemed like very sensitive information to share with an enemy Clan.

Frostfur spoke up from the other side of the clearing. "Yes, that's right," she mewed. "They told us that Twolegs are living in shelters by the river, disturbing the fish. The RiverClan hunting parties can only hide, and watch them with empty stomachs."

Bluestar had watched the two she-cats closely as they had spoken. "That is interesting news," she meowed. "For now, we must be careful not to do anything that might bring ShadowClan and RiverClan closer together." She began to leap down the side of the Highrock. "Runningwind, Ravenpaw, you take the dawn patrol." Ravenpaw twitched his ears at the mention of his name.

As the Clan meeting broke up, Graystripe immediately got up. "Wait, Graystripe!" Ravenpaw weaved his way through the crowd to search for him. "What was it like?" he asked as he caught up to his friend. "Going to the Gathering as a warrior?"

Graystripe halted, purring. "It was great, although with everything that happened tonight, cats were a bit distracted when my name was announced. They probably won't remember me."

Ravenpaw nudged his shoulder. "Well, it's still good that you got to go. Remember all those moons we wished we were at the Gathering when we were apprentices?"

"You'll be joining us soon." Graystripe rested his tail on Ravenpaw's shoulder. "As a warrior. It won't be long now."

Ravenpaw glanced away. "I hope so..." Sandpaw wasn't the only cat who wanted a warrior name- Ravenpaw did too even if he knew he wasn't ready yet. With Tigerclaw's training, he hoped he could improve, but it would be difficult if the dark warrior wanted to set him up to fail.

"Do you want to hunt later?" asked Graystripe, changing the subject. "After your dawn patrol?"

"Sure." Ravenpaw's tail gave a happy flick. Maybe he wouldn't lose Graystripe's friendship, even though they weren't both warriors. They had done most of their training sessions together as apprentices; surely all the time they'd spent together had meant something.

Ravenpaw padded away, waving his tail in farewell. His fur was prickling for some reason, and when he looked up, Tigerclaw was staring at him from across the camp, his pale amber eyes glowing in the shadows. Ravenpaw shuddered, recalling his dark nightmare. Tigerclaw's eyes held that same predatory glare in his dreams, and Ravenpaw decided to wait until dawn inside the apprentices' den, even if he'd be unable to sleep. He worried his mentor would try to take him training alone, and he waited impatiently for the darkness of the night to lessen so he could leave.

When the dim glow of dawn appeared on the horizon, Ravenpaw got up for his patrol. Spying Runningwind sitting near the gorse tunnel, he trotted up.

"Ready?" asked Runningwind, wide awake even though it was well before sunrise truly began.

Ravenpaw was nodding when Whitestorm appeared at his side. "Would it be alright if Sandpaw and I joined you?"

"Sure," Runningwind replied. "The more, the merrier."

Ravenpaw stood up, and noticed that Dustpelt and Graystripe were walking toward the gorse tunnel, their tails held high. Whitestorm dipped his head as they approached. "I hear you two are going on a mission." Dustpelt and Graystripe nodded, and Whitestorm's expression grew serious.

"Wait a moment." Sandpaw was trotting up as the two warriors turned to leave. "Dustpelt, Graystripe, where are you going?" Following her gaze, Ravenpaw turned his head.

"We have a very important warrior mission to attend to," Dustpelt mewed as he strode past.

Sandpaw tilted her head. "Doing what? Hunting voles?"

"We're fetching WindClan," Graystripe answered, his amber eyes betraying nervousness as well as excitement. Ravenpaw felt his heart nearly drop out of his chest. Bluestar had talked about bringing WindClan home, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

Sandpaw snorted in disbelief. "No, really. What are you doing?"

"We are finding WindClan," Dustpelt repeated. "What, Sandpaw, don't believe us?"

"But..." Sandpaw trailed off. "Dustpelt, you've never been on WindClan territory before! How can Bluestar expect you to find them?"

"I've met WindClan cats before though, haven't I? I know their scent, so I can track them. Bluestar thinks we'll be fine, since I'm more familiar with WindClan's scent and Graystripe knows the way to Highstones." In spite of Dustpelt's confident response, Ravenpaw felt the fur on his back prickle. What Sandpaw said was true- it would be an incredibly dangerous mission for cats with little experience.

Stunned silent, Sandpaw stared at Dustpelt in shock, while Whitestorm dipped his head to the two young warriors. "Good luck, and may you have StarClan's protection."

"Thank you," meowed Dustpelt. He and Graystripe nodded back at the senior warrior, and then Dustpelt turned to yowl back at the camp. "See you, Yellowfang!"

"StarClan go with you," Yellowfang's voice called from across the camp. "And don't come back without a vole!"

"Hunt for yourself," Dustpelt called back over his shoulder. He flicked his tail at Graystripe. "Shall we go then?"

Ravenpaw peered through the woods as they were hidden by trees. "Be careful," he meowed.

He wasn't sure if they had heard him, but Dustpelt twitched his ears, and with a flash of fur both cats disappeared out of sight.

Whitestorm got to his paws. "Alright, we should get going as well. We have borders to patrol."

Ravenpaw nodded. He noticed that Sandpaw's claws were buried in the ground, while her eyes were filled with mingled envy and indignation. Dustpelt had been her closest training partner; Ravenpaw figured it must hurt to see him on a warrior mission while she was still an apprentice. Soon her pelt flattened as they began to make their way to the RiverClan border, but Ravenpaw still kept his distance; he had no desire to incur Sandpaw's wrath by bothering her when she was so angry.

But after a short time Sandpaw fell back to walk next to him. "I can't believe Bluestar chose them," she mewed quietly.

"Me neither," Ravenpaw meowed truthfully.

"It's such a dangerous mission, and they only just earned their names," Sandpaw continued with a single lash of her tail.

Ravenpaw frowned. "I wonder why she sent them instead of one of the senior warriors. I mean, they'll know the way around Highstones, but WindClan must be further away than that. We didn't see any sign of them when we visited the Moonstone." He felt his chest clench at the thought of Dustpelt and Graystripe crossing the Thunderpath to get to Highstones.

Sandpaw murmured her agreement, and gained a spring in her step. Her mood seemed to have improved now that she knew she wasn't the only one unhappy with Bluestar's choice.

Even though Whitestorm was the most senior warrior on the patrol, he allowed Runningwind to lead the way, and the light brown tabby headed through the woods at a swift pace, somehow full of energy in spite of it being early in the morning. They skirted the RiverClan border, pausing to renew the markers along the way, and soon they had made it to Sunningrocks.

Sandpaw bounded up the tall, gray stones and gave a long stretch before descending back down. "No signs of trespassing," she reported. Ravenpaw twitched his whiskers. He knew she had only wanted the chance to rest on the sun heated rocks, if only for a moment.

"It looks as though RiverClan is keeping to their side of the border," Runningwind remarked, raising his nose toward the incoming breeze.

"They have no need to hunt here." Whitestorm's expression turned somber. "I expect they're hunting on WindClan territory." After a long pause, he shook his head. "Let's keep going."

They left Sunningrocks behind, following the border as they left the river behind, and soon the forest opened up in front of them. They had reached Fourtrees. Suppressing a sigh, Ravenpaw looked down at the clearing. He could still detect the scents of RiverClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan wafting up in the breeze, still strong from the previous night's Gathering. He picked up Dustpelt and Graystripe's trail too. How far could they have gotten by now?

He narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the shapes of the two young warriors against the sloping hills of WindClan territory, but they must have been too far gone already.


	5. Chapter 4

 

The day had brought showers as well as sunshine, and when Ravenpaw followed Sandpaw out of the apprentices' den that morning after a quick nap, he could smell the recent rain. Ravenpaw stretched out each of his legs individually and then started smoothing over his sleek black fur with his tongue. His grooming was interrupted by a sharp nudge to his flank. Tigerclaw loomed over him, his amber eyes pale slits.

"Time for your training." Tigerclaw turned and headed to the gorse tunnel, clearly expecting Ravenpaw to follow. Ravenpaw hesitated. "Come on, already," Tigerclaw growled. "We're going hunting."

Ravenpaw nodded wordlessly. He had hoped Tigerxlaw would have considered his earlier dawn patrol his training for the day, but it was clear that was not the case. Dread pulsed through his paws when he realized they were heading out alone. He turned around to say goodbye to Sandpaw but she was already gone, and his sense of worry increased. This was the first time he would be alone with Tigerclaw since Darkstripe's exile.

Ravenpaw tried to ignore the anxious prickling of his pelt when they left the camp, and instead focused on his surroundings. The rich scents of leaf-fall hit the roof of his mouth with every breath. Damp air chilled his nose, and he knew that the forest would begin to freeze over soon. He was already noticing a decrease in prey scent.

They had only travelled a short distance when Tigerclaw stopped, and Ravenpaw avoided crashing into him by a whisker. "Smell that?" the dark tabby mewed, raising his head.

Ravenpaw breathed in. A squirrel had been here sometime earlier in the day. He nodded.

"Track it," Tigerclaw ordered.

"Yes, Tigerclaw." Ravenpaw raised his muzzle to sniff the air again. He anxiously began to follow the trail, and it twisted and turned through the woods, growing further and further from the ThunderClan camp. Ravenpaw didn't look back, but he could feel Tigerclaw's gaze boring into his fur as he led his mentor along the path.

Tigerclaw strode ahead of Ravenpaw, holding up his tail to bar the way. "I think this is far enough."

"For... for what, Tigerclaw?"

"Catch it." Tigerclaw sat down, curling his tail around his paws.

Ravenpaw blinked, his gaze darting around nervously, first to Tigerclaw, then to the ground, and then to the surrounding undergrowth. Would Tigerclaw really send him off to hunt alone after Bluestar had been clear that he was to have another cat with him at all times outside the camp? Of course he would, Ravenpaw answered himself immediately. If he was alone and Darkstripe found him, he would be as good as crow-food, and then Tigerclaw's problems would be gone. Then again . . .

Ravenpaw's mind whirred. What if this was Tigerclaw's plan to murder him in secret? Could ordering him to track the squirrel be a part of it, to ensure that Ravenpaw was sufficiently distracted before trying to kill him? But that didn't explain why Tigerclaw would even give him a chance to escape first. If Tigerclaw really wanted Ravenpaw dead, he should have killed him already- they were in a quiet area, far from camp.

Tigerclaw was still waiting for Ravenpaw's answer, his pale amber eyes gleaming. "Well? I told you to catch the squirrel, not sit here all day thinking about it!"

"Yes, Tigerclaw." Ravenpaw's voice came out as a hoarse whisper. Realizing that his claws had been digging into the forest floor, he sheathed them and pushed his paws off the ground, setting a swift pace through the undergrowth.

Trotting quickly, Ravenpaw sniffed, on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary more than the stale prey scent.

As he continued, a stifling anxiety pounded through his chest. It made no sense to track a squirrel this far. The animal was probably already holed up in a tree somewhere.

Now what? He was beginning to panic. The scent of the squirrel was fading in and out, and it was clear that whatever intention Tigerclaw had in ordering him to track it, it was not good. His insides screamed at him to run.

He was in a secluded part of the forest now, near Tallpines.

A twig snapped. Ravenpaw stiffened, tilting his ears around to find the source of the noise. He lifted a forepaw, and a tiny broken branch rolled out from underneath. Shaking his head to himself, he took another step forward, but he wasn't paying attention to where he was going and walked straight into a thin offshoot of a bush. Hissing, he shuffled back. It wasn't a deep cut, but it stung, and he wasn't looking forward to explaining that he'd walked into a branch to his Clanmates.

Was Tigerclaw watching him? All of Ravenpaw's muscles were tense, ready to spring into action if his mentor tried to ambush him. The sound of fur brushing against leaves whispered through the air, and for a moment he thought he detected a cat scent, but a heartbeat later the wind changed direction and it was gone. Chirruping floated through the clearing, piercing Ravenpaw's ears.

_There's nothing here,_ he reassured himself, licking a forepaw and swiping it across the cut on his forehead. _Perhaps I could just catch a bird; there are plenty of them around even if I lost the squirrel._

Ravenpaw slid forward, flattening himself against the earth to squeeze under the thicket he had cut himself on. He ended up inside a small clearing, surrounded by prickly thorns on all sides except for a small oak tree at the edge that was barely taller than the bushes. Figuring he needed to see his prey to catch it, he crept closer to the birdsong.

Twitching his ears, Ravenpaw tried to pinpoint the location of the loud trilling noise. He had just spotted a blackbird atop a low branch of the tree.

Then Darkstripe hurtled into the clearing from behind him.

Ravenpaw let out a panicked screech. The dark tom slammed into him, throwing him to the ground.

"You." The gray and black striped tom was pacing back and forth. Shaking, Ravenpaw eyed the gap in the brambles. He darted toward the hole but Darkstripe quickly moved to block his escape, pushing him back with his paws. He was trapped.

"Why did you do it?" Darkstripe snarled. "You and Tigerclaw, you were working together. You played me; you set me up!" He continued to pace, seeming to be working himself into a frenzy. "But why? What did I ever do to you? What did I ever do to him? I didn't deserve this; I was loyal to ThunderClan!"

Ravenpaw said nothing, deciding not to point out that Darkstripe had attempted to murder a fellow Clanmate.

Darkstripe was panting now, his eyes wide with rage. "I was loyal to him. And you plotted with him to destroy me."

"I didn't..."

"You thought you'd get away with this?! You're the traitor, not me!" Darkstripe spat.

"No!" Ravenpaw meowed, shrinking away from Darkstripe's advancing claws. "I didn't, I swear!"

"You couldn't stand the fact that Tigerclaw had another cat he trusted more than you! You told him lies about me and..." Darkstripe broke off, and Ravenpaw shook, too afraid for his life to appreciate the irony of Darkstripe accusing him of spreading rumors.

"No," Ravenpaw squeaked.

"Liar!" Darkstripe was still pacing, his tail lashing wildly. "You allied yourself with him and turned him against me, his first apprentice!"

"I- I'm not Tigerclaw's ally!" Ravenpaw gasped. Darkstripe leaped through the air and tackled him to the ground. "Really, I'm the furthest thing from Tigerclaw's ally," he continued shrilly, flailing his legs. "I didn't do anything! Really, I didn't!"

Darkstripe's claws slid out as held Ravenpaw down. "Why then?" he snarled, his face twisted in despair.

Was this it? Could he really tell Darkstripe about Redtail's murder? Would it even change anything? Darkstripe's cruel green eyes were still fixed on his face. "He . . ." Ravenpaw opened his mouth and hesitated. Finally, after a long moment, he began to speak. "He killed-"

A yowl split the air, drowning out his mew. "He's here! Traitor!"

Sandpaw shot through the gap in the brambles and bounded into Darkstripe, slamming into his side and knocking him into the ground. Darkstripe lashed out with an unsheathed forepaw, meeting Sandpaw's ear. He easily shook off the smaller cat and was back on his paws when Runningwind and Mousefur burst through the brambles.

Darkstripe's eyes widened at the sudden arrival of so many cats, but it only took him a heartbeat to recover from the shock. He leaped over the two warriors, landing near his only escape.

Whitestorm was there too; he reared up on his hind paws, blocking Darkstripe's way. But the dark tom flung himself over the heads of the ThunderClan cats again- this time in the opposite direction- and pushed himself off the side of the tree, over the brambles and into the forest.

Mousefur turned to race into the woods. "After him!"

"Runningwind, Sandpaw, follow him," Whitestorm ordered. Without a word the two cats sped away after Mousefur. He turned to Ravenpaw. "Are you hurt?"

Ravenpaw shook his head rapidly. Darkstripe had roughed him up a bit, but his scratches hadn't broken the skin.

Whitestorm glanced around. "Where is Tigerclaw?"

"I don't know. He... he told me to r-run ahead to track a squirrel..." Shuddering, Ravenpaw curled his claws into the ground.

Whitestorm led the way out of the tangle of undergrowth, and sat down next to the tree. Nearly oblivious to his surroundings, Ravenpaw crouched beside him, trembling.

A furious snarl took him by surprise. "Ravenpaw!" Tigerclaw bounded past the trees, slowing to a stop when he saw Whitestorm and Ravenpaw sitting beside the bramble thicket. "You're safe." His voice was a low growl, and Ravenpaw knew that any cat that heard it would believe it was filled with relief. But to Ravenpaw, Tigerclaw's voice betrayed a different emotion: disappointment. "You mousebrained idiot," he growled. "Perhaps if you had better comprehension you would know that I told you to wait for me!" The dark tabby's mew was dangerous.

"But you told me-" Ravenpaw mewed before he was cut off.

Tigerclaw flattened his ears, scowling. "I told you to chase the squirrel. I didn't tell you to run away!"

Whitestorm was watching him severely now, although his eyes contained a trace of compassion that Tigerclaw's permanently lacked.

Ravenpaw ducked his head, ready to be rebuked by the Whitestorm, when Mousefur, Runningwind, and Sandpaw arrived back in the clearing. "We lost him," Mousefur panted, frustration in her mew.

"Barely got in two claw swipes," Sandpaw growled.

"He was running toward Twolegplace we think," Runningwind added.

Whitestorm gave the two warriors and apprentice a nod. "It is good that he is off our territory though. Well done, you three. Especially you Sandpaw, for picking up his scent trail."

The pale ginger she-cat sat up straighter.

"Are you okay, Ravenpaw?" Mousefur meowed.

Ravenpaw nodded, shame coursing through his pelt. Why could he never speak up when it really mattered?

Whitestorm peered past the other ThunderClan cats, his gaze troubled. "I don't understand it. What does Darkstripe hope to gain by attacking former Clanmates?"

Mousefur frowned. "He can't keep this up, can he? This is mousebrained. Ravenpaw never did anything, but I bet Darkstripe still blames him for getting exiled." She flicked her tail nervously. "We should probably return to camp."

"Let's get a move on then." Tigerclaw stood up, shooting a dark glance at Ravenpaw. "Bluestar needs to be informed of this."

The patrol began to head back. As they walked, Whitestorm began to explain what happened to the younger warriors in a low voice. Next to him, Tigerclaw strode along, his tail bristling. Ravenpaw could sense his mentor's anger, roiling like a storm, and he tried to position himself away from the dark warrior. He spotted Sandpaw ahead of him and trotted to catch up.

Sandpaw turned as Ravenpaw approached. She seemed to hesitate before meowing: "You're not hurt, right?"

"Not really," Ravenpaw mewed, falling into step beside her. He was surprised by how steady his voice was. "Just a few bruises."

Sandpaw flicked her tail at Ravenpaw's forehead. "What about that?"

"Oh..." Ravenpaw shuffled his paws. "That's from a branch," he admitted.

Sandpaw snorted. "You get attacked by a cat who wants to kill you, and your worst injury is from a tree branch?"

Ravenpaw shrugged, deciding not to tell her that he'd received the cut before he'd known Darkstripe was there at all.

"What?" Sandpaw tilted her head.

Ravenpaw sighed. "Tigerclaw is going to punish me for this. I'll be cleaning out the elders' den for the next moon."

"Why in the name of StarClan would you be punished for being attacked?" Sandpaw's tone was incredulous.

"Because I ran off." Ravenpaw felt bitterness rise in his throat. Tigerclaw had ordered him to track the squirrel by himself, but now it was his word against the deputy's, and Ravenpaw knew this was a fight he could not win. "Tigerclaw told me to follow the scent trail of a squirrel by myself," he added at Sandpaw's inquiring look. "That's how Darkstripe found me alone."

"That can't be right. What did Tigerclaw say when he ordered you to follow the scent trail?" meowed Sandpaw.

"Well..." Ravenpaw paused. "He told me to 'catch it' and sat down right there. He wanted me to go ahead without him."

"Come on, Ravenpaw," Sandpaw scoffed. "There's no way Tigerclaw actually meant for you to go alone. You know you're supposed to be with another cat outside camp." Ravenpaw twitched his whiskers. He should have known it was useless to confide in Sandpaw. She sounded almost like Dustpelt.

Ravenpaw decided to change the subject. "Thanks, by the way," he meowed after a long silence. "I'm glad you scented him. I... I'd probably be dead if you hadn't." Ravenpaw flattened his ears in a vain attempt to block out the memory. He didn't even want to think about what would have happened if his Clanmates hadn't interrupted the attack.

"Don't mention it," Sandpaw replied lightly, a teasing gleam in her pale green eyes. They had reached the ravine to the ThunderClan camp, and when Sandpaw slid her paws over the edge, she turned back to Ravenpaw before she descended the steep slope. "Getting the chance to dig my claws into the traitor's fur was a reward in and of itself."


	6. Chapter 5

When they returned to camp, Ravenpaw's heart dropped. His Clanmates had grown silent when they saw the claw marks on the patrolling cats, and their curious gazes made him want to turn around and run back into the forest.

"What's going on?" Goldenflower meowed, padding up. The rest of the queens followed her, looking concerned.

"Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw were hunting..." Ravenpaw was too in shock to hear Whitestorm's full answer. He was still expecting Darkstripe to pounce at him at any moment even though in the logical part of his brain he knew he was safe.

Tigerclaw jerked his head toward Bluestar's den. Vaguely aware of a sympathetic blink from Sandpaw, Ravenpaw reluctantly followed his mentor, his heart dropping even more than it already had.

"Tigerclaw." Bluestar dipped her head in greeting as they slipped into the den. "What happened?" She raised her head, her expression clouding.

Tigerclaw sat down, and Ravenpaw took a spot as far away from his mentor as he could while still being inside the cramped den. "Darkstripe was trespassing within our borders," Tigerclaw meowed. He narrowed his eyes. "This cat-" he flicked his tail at Ravenpaw in disgust- "ran off to catch a squirrel, alone, in blatant disregard to my orders, and Darkstripe used the chance to corner him."

Bluestar sat bolt upright. "Are you hurt?"

Tigerclaw answered for him. "He's fine."

"Yes, I'm alright," Ravenpaw put in when Bluestar kept watching him.

"So what happened exactly?" Bluestar asked.

Lashing his tail, Tigerclaw shifted his paws. "As I told you, it was not a simple ambush." Ravenpaw barely heard what his mentor was saying as he sat there, his tail flicking anxiously. "We were hunting near Tallpines. I was trying to teach him some basic tracking techniques, but he bolted off before I finished my instructions." Ravenpaw bristled. Tigerclaw certainly had finished his instructions, and they had consisted of two words: catch it- which Ravenpaw had attempted to follow. "Darkstripe found him before I could get to him. He must have been biding his time before he decided to attack."

Bluestar sat quietly in her nest, watching Ravenpaw closely as Tigerclaw finished his report.

"It was a good thing Whitestorm's patrol had been in the area, or he would have died," meowed Tigerclaw. "I believe that taking on sole elders' duties for the next moon will be sufficient punishment."

"I agree that there should be consequences," Bluestar mewed after a long moment, turning away from her deputy. "Although a moon may be a bit excessive." She sighed, closing her eyes. "Tigerclaw, you may go."

The dark brown tabby tom opened his mouth to protest before seeming to think better of it. He dipped his head and exited the den, leaving Ravenpaw alone with Bluestar.

Bluestar gave Ravenpaw a long, thoughtful look that made him want to shrink away. "Ravenpaw, do you know why Darkstripe is targeting you like this?"

For the second time in less than a moon, Ravenpaw found himself contemplating telling Bluestar about Tigerclaw's treachery: about how he had murdered Redtail and sent Darkstripe to kill Ravenpaw, and how he appeared to still be plotting Ravenpaw's demise.

But he gave a tiny shake of his head out of instinct, and Bluestar spoke before he could form any words from his thoughts. "I expected better of you, Ravenpaw," she meowed. "I'm surprised; I thought Darkstripe nearly killing you once would be enough to make you aware of the danger you were in. I know you didn't disobey orders out of spite. That being said, it was irresponsible of you to run off alone, especially near the place where Darkstripe was scented a few days ago. It put not just you, but all the cats who fought him in danger." She shook her head, her expression worried. "Thank StarClan you're alright..."

Ravenpaw blinked, his belly tightening.

Bluestar shook herself. "This instance is exactly why I ordered you to always have another cat with you outside camp in the first place. I expect that you'll follow this order from now on."

"Yes, Bluestar," Ravenpaw replied, lowering his gaze.

"You will be responsible for the elders' care starting tomorrow," Bluestar continued. "For now, though," she meowed, her voice gaining a sympathetic edge, "get that wound checked out, and then get some rest."

Ravenpaw could barely choke out a whisper. "Yes, Bluestar."

Shuddering as the image of Darkstripe's claws that flashed in his mind, Ravenpaw dug his own claws into the sandy floor of the den. He knew he would never be able to convince anyone that he hadn't misheard his mentor. Bluestar would never believe that Tigerclaw really _did_ order him to hunt alone.

* * *

The news of Ravenpaw's punishment spread through the entire camp in what seemed like heartbeats. As he picked up a meal from the fresh-kill pile that night, he noticed Frostfur and Speckletail watching him from the nursery. Their voices were low as they murmured to each other and they fell silent when Ravenpaw walked past. He winced; his Clanmates looks reminded him of the short period of time when Tigerclaw had spread rumors about his supposed treachery to the whole Clan.

He could hardly believe this was happening; just that morning he had been taken on a hunting patrol with his mentor, and now he was trapped in a punishment that would last for only StarClan knew how long.

The next day after a fitful night's sleep filled with images of Darkstripe and Tigerclaw chasing him, Ravenpaw woke with a start and immediately began his first task in caring for the elders: fetching new bedding. He padded into the elders' den and began to peel away the old mossy floor with his claws.

The elders continued to talk as though Ravenpaw wasn't there. A half-eaten rabbit was sitting in front of them. Seeing it, Ravenpaw was thankful that he wouldn't have to hunt for them until later.

Smallear was lounging in the far end of the den. "Could I get in here quick?" Ravenpaw asked. "If you could just move a few whisker-lengths to the right . . ."

Smallear snorted irritably, and shifted his body so Ravenpaw could collect the bedding underneath. When Ravenpaw had finished, Smallear's annoyed voice rang out. "Well, now what are we supposed to lie on? Solid ground?"

Ravenpaw's ears twitched as the realization hit him: he should have collected the new bedding before stripping the den entirely. "Sorry, I still need to fetch the moss."

"My joints ache," Smallear complained. "And One-Eye's do too. Are you telling me that we have to sit around on rocky, hard ground until you get back here with our bedding?"

"What? Did some cat say my name?" One-Eye rasped, sounding confused.

Patchpelt rose to his paws with a quick stretch. "We'll be fine for a little bit without moss."

"Of course we'll be fine. But we shouldn't have to deal with it." Smallear got up slowly, his joints cracking as he stood. "Apprentices these days . . ."

Sighing, Ravenpaw shifted to the side so the elders could get around him and then followed them out.

"I suppose it makes sense that this would happen with him." Snorting, Smaller flicked his ears at Ravenpaw. "I mean, thinking that Tigerclaw was telling him to wander about by himself. He is clearly not the brightest cat to walk the forest."

"Smallear!" Patchpelt exclaimed, giving Smallear a sharp nudge. Ravenpaw flinched in spite of himself. Was this what his Clanmates truly thought of him?

But Smallear was still talking. "He must have gotten it from Fuzzypelt. I swear it by StarClan, that tom seemed like he had bees in his brain most of the time."

Ravenpaw ducked his head. Dappletail looked over at him, blinking. "Don't listen to him, Ravenpaw. Smallear is just distracted by the ticks burrowing in his tail."

Patchpelt motioned with his tail for Ravenpaw to come closer. "Fuzzypelt was my mentor," Patchpelt mewed. "He was many things, but dumb wasn't one of them." He nudged Ravenpaw's flank with his tail. "Don't worry, this will pass. Every apprentice gets in trouble at some point." Barely able to give a small nod in thanks, Ravenpaw backed out of the elders' den.

Now he needed to find a cat to go with him to get the moss. He was kicking himself internally; he should have thought of that before. Ravenpaw shot a quick glance at the camp; it was almost entirely deserted. There were no warriors in the clearing, only Brindleface with her kits, along with several of the elders who had moved into the main clearing to sun themselves.

Who could he ask to come with him? He rapidly checked the apprentices' den and the warriors' den; the only cat he saw in either was Tigerclaw, sleeping in the center of the warriors', and Ravenpaw backed out quickly before his mentor could notice his presence. His head spun. He couldn't ask Tigerclaw, he couldn't ask one of the queens because they would have to leave their kits unsupervised, and he certainly couldn't ask Bluestar. That left only one cat.

Ravenpaw whirled around, crossed the camp in a few bounds, and then slowly padded the last few steps. Paws shaking, he poked his head inside the medicine den. "Yellowfang? Are you there?"

"Yes," she rasped.

"I- I was wondering-" Ravenpaw began, mumbling.

"Hang on, I'll be right out." The dark she-cat padded out of the shadows. Ravenpaw shrank back as she emerged into the light of the clearing. "What is it? You're not getting a cough, are you?"

"No," Ravenpaw replied hastily. He paused, tail twitching. "Could you come with me to fetch moss for the elders?"

Yellowfang blinked; she clearly wasn't expecting that. "You want us to collect moss together?" she meowed incredulously.

"Well, no, I mean- yes." Ravenpaw ducked his head. "I can't be alone outside the camp and I need someone to come with me. There isn't anyone else I can ask."

"Hmph," Yellowfang grunted. "And here I was thinking you wanted to be friends." She stood up. "Come on then, let's go. Those elders won't wait all day." Her eyes held a mischievous gleam as she padded past.

Ravenpaw trailed behind her, his paws prickling with anxiety as they left the camp and made the short walk through the woods. The last time he had been alone with Yellowfang, she had attacked him. Even if she wasn't a rogue anymore, Yellowfang still made him nervous.

"Which moss gathering place are we going?" Yellowfang called back over her shoulder.

"Um, I guess the closer one. By the two oak trees."

They continued in awkward silence.

"You must like this," Yellowfang meowed suddenly.

Ravenpaw blinked in confusion. "What?"

"This. Collecting moss," Yellowfang meowed, sweeping her tail to indicate their surroundings. "I suppose you don't like the fact that it's a punishment, but caring for the elders gets you out of warrior training."

"I- I like warrior training," Ravenpaw protested weakly.

Yellowfang gave him an impish glance. "Mmhmm. Right." The playful light in her eyes faded, leaving them with a cold and calculated gleam. "What I don't understand is why you don't want to train. You do want to be a warrior, I can tell that, but there's something more to it than just disliking training." Ravenpaw felt the fur on the back of his neck stand up. What was she getting at? "Is it Tigerclaw?" she meowed. "That brute pushing you too hard?"

Blood pumping through his ears, Ravenpaw studied his paws. Yellowfang suspected something, he was sure of it. What if she was trying to trick him into revealing something he shouldn't- why she would do that he had no idea... but what if she was? He had absolutely no idea what to say to her.

"You know, Ravenpaw, you should pay attention to your surroundings," Yellowfang meowed. "Some cat might catch you by surprise if you're not careful."

Ravenpaw looked up. Yellowfang wasn't there. He turned to his right again and nearly leaped out of his fur. She had crept up behind him from out of nowhere.

He hissed, the fur on his shoulders spiking. "Don't do that!"

Yellowfang shrugged, her whiskers twitching. "I was born and raised ShadowClan. I can't help my natural sneaking abilities."

Ravenpaw watched her warily. She was making fun of him, he was sure of it. Ravenpaw lashed his tail. It was embarrassing, being crept up on by an elder.

As they continued he didn't let her out of his sight.

They had almost reached the moss gathering place by now.

"Would you look at that," Yellowfang declared suddenly. Ravenpaw looked around in confusion as the old medicine cat trotted off the path. "There's still some ragwort left that hasn't died in the frost." She began to dig up a clump of tall leafy shrubs. "This will work wonders for the elders' sore joints. You can give them some after you change their bedding."

Ravenpaw nodded and then stopped. The old medicine cat was hacking at the base of the stems with her claws; she couldn't see him now. Finally she stood up, the ragwort stems sticking out a tail-length from both sides of her mouth, and motioned for him to keep going.

They had soon found the moss. Ravenpaw glanced back at Yellowfang, his whiskers twitching in amusement. The old she-cat looked absurd with the leafy plant jutting out of her jaws by a tail-length on both sides.

Yellowfang dropped the herbs onto the ground. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Ravenpaw mewed hastily, turning away. He began to test the nearest patch of moss with his paw. Deciding that it was sufficiently soft, he began the process of removing it from the tree.

"That moss would be better." Yellowfang indicated a darker patch with her tail.

Ravenpaw frowned, pausing mid-swipe. "How? This is much softer than that patch."

"True, but this one is springier- it will support the elders' aching joints better."

He'd never thought of that. He guessed most of the ThunderClan cats hadn't either; the bedding in most dens was a hodgepodge of different colored mosses.

Ravenpaw switched places with Yellowfang and began to carefully peel away the darker layer of moss. After getting it off the tree in mostly one piece he sifted through it, picking out a few burrs and debris, and shaking out the moisture. Then he picked it up and nodded, ready to leave.

Carrying the ragwort in her jaws, Yellowfang led the way back. As she padded onward with her tail held high, Spottedleaf's last words echoed in Ravenpaw's ears: _you'll grow to trust her eventually, you'll see_.

He probably wasn't ready for that yet, but at the very least she hadn't tried to kill him when they were alone together. That was certainly an improvement on what he thought would happen. He wasn't about to become friends with her or anything... but maybe the old she-cat wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

The rest of the return trip to fetch moss was uneventful, and soon Ravenpaw had covered the elders' den floor with new bedding. Every cat seemed pleased except Smallear.

"My knees are going to be hurting for days," he growled.

"I can get you something for that," Ravenpaw offered. "Yellowfang collected herbs for aching joints not too long ago."

Smallear grumbled noncommittally. Deciding to take that as a yes, Ravenpaw left to get the herbs.

When Ravenpaw reached the medicine den, he was less reluctant than before to nose his way in. "You'll need to make a poultice," Yellowfang meowed when he told her about Smallear's aching joints. "I'll show you how. Here." Yellowfang retreated to the back of her den, and returned with a few leaves that Ravenpaw recognized as ragwort, and a clump of dark berries. "Take the juniper berries and crush them, then chew up a ragwort leaf, and mix it all together to make a poultice." She pushed the bundle of herbs toward him and stared at him. "What are you waiting for?"

"Me?" Ravenpaw blinked in surprise while Yellowfang watched him. "I mean, I'm not a medicine cat. I wouldn't want to mess up an elder's treatment."

But Yellowfang didn't seem concerned. "You'll be fine. Just don't swallow any of it or you'll get a bellyache."

Ravenpaw made his way back to the elders' den, and after a short argument with Smallear began to carefully apply the poultice to his leg. Soon he was done.

Remembering Smallear's ticks, Ravenpaw groaned. The old tom hadn't said anything to him, but with the way Smallear was he'd probably complain that Ravenpaw hadn't taken care of it properly. With a sigh, Ravenpaw padded back to the medicine den. "Could I get some mouse bile, please?" he meowed into the entrance, not bothering to call out a greeting.

"Those elders have ticks?" Yellowfang called back.

"Mostly just Smallear, I think."

"I'll be right back." Yellowfang hobbled into the shadows, and returned with the normal tick treatment: a wad of moss soaked in moss bile, which hung from a thin tree branch.

Ravenpaw gingerly took the stick in his teeth and awkwardly made his way back, the bile swinging wildly. Stumbling, he let out a muffled hiss as the bile covered moss brushed his chest fur. He'd have to practically swim in the stream to wash himself off now.

Ravenpaw entered the elders' den again. This time Smallear turned around wordlessly, and Ravenpaw combed through the old tom's fur with his claws. There were several ticks embedded in his back. Ravenpaw decided to start with the largest one.

Wincing, Ravenpaw dabbed the tick with the bile-covered moss, and flicked it away with a forepaw when it loosened its grip. He repeated the process until Smallear's fur was clear. "There."

Smallear relaxed, sighing. He curled up in his nest, seeming much happier than before.

"Can you check me as well?" Halftail asked. "I think I've got one in my left shoulder."

Ravenpaw nodded, sending tremors through the stick he held in his jaws. The moss ball swung into him again, and he suppressed an irritated growl.

Halftail mewed his thanks when Ravenpaw removed the tick from his shoulder. That was the only one he had, and none of the other elders seemed to have any ticks. Ravenpaw made his way out of the den to get rid of the mouse bile.

When he returned to the main clearing, Swiftpaw and Longtail came out of the gorse tunnel, both cats carrying prey. Longtail mewed something to his apprentice, and the black-and-white tom trotted in the direction of the elders, bringing his prey with him.

Ravenpaw decided not to point out that he was supposed to be the sole caretaker of the elders right now; Longtail was probably trying to teach the new apprentice the value of caring for Clan elders, and additionally, Ravenpaw was glad he wouldn't have to find someone to chaperone him for an extended hunting mission.

He did however need a cat to come with him to the stream, or he'd smell of mouse bile for days. He walked up to the pale tabby warrior. "Um, Longtail? Do you think you could come with me to the stream?"

Longtail wrinkled his nose. "Mouse bile, eh? Fine." Swiftpaw trotted back, and watched his mentor questioningly. Longtail looked over to wave his tail at his apprentice. "Good job today, Swiftpaw. Feel free to pick out something from the fresh-kill pile."

As Ravenpaw left the camp with Longtail close behind, he reflected that the day hadn't turned out as terrible as he thought it would. _Anything without Tigerclaw is probably an improvement,_ Ravenpaw reflected as he held his tail high for the first time since Dustpelt and Graystripe left.

* * *

Ravenpaw blinked the sun out of his eyes the next morning. He would have to hunt for the elders today. The sun was rising, its red-orange light dappling the camp. It was much brighter than Ravenpaw was used to; the leaves that usually shaded the ThunderClan camp were completely gone now with leaf-fall well under way.

He decided to start the day by treating Smallear's joints with another ragwort poultice, so he began to make his way to the medicine den. He halted in his tracks when he spotted Yellowfang and Bluestar talking to each other by the Highrock, and turned to head over to ask Yellowfang for the herbs.

The ThunderClan leader and its medicine cat were still talking as he approached, and Ravenpaw stopped at what he thought was a respectful distance away. But he could still hear the concerned mews.

"What do you see?" Bluestar followed Yellowfang's gaze upward.

"The clouds in the sky," Yellowfang whispered, her orange eyes wide. "They are tinged with blood."

"What does it mean?" Bluestar asked. Ravenpaw's heart dropped.

Yellowfang's voice grew heavy with foreboding. "This day will bring an unnecessary death."


	7. Chapter 6

_This day will bring an unnecessary death._ The warning pounded in Ravenpaw's ears.

He didn't want to hunt today. He didn't want to leave the camp today. Even though Bluestar had reasoned that every Clan could see the sign, and Yellowfang had agreed with her, Ravenpaw was still nervous. What if the sign _was_ meant for ThunderClan? With his luck he'd be the cat who died.

He was considering faking a bellyache when Whitestorm padded up. "Ravenpaw, will you be joining our hunting patrol?" Sandpaw and Tigerclaw were following him.

Snorting, Tigerclaw gave a single shake of his broad head. "His punishment isn't over."

"He can't be the sole caretaker of the elders if he can't hunt," Whitestorm pointed out.

Tigerclaw seemed to contemplate Whitestorm's words for a moment. "Fine," he growled. "He can go. But if he steps one paw out of line, he'll regret it." He turned and beckoned Ravenpaw with a stiff jerk of his head. "Come on."

As Ravenpaw left he could hear the high pitched mewing of Frostfur's kits, and at the sight of Cinderkit and Brackenkit playing with a piece of moss, a strange wistful feeling washed over him. The kits were perfectly happy as they tumbled about. It made Ravenpaw wish he could go back in time to his own kithood, when Robinwing had been alive and Dustpelt hadn't been ignoring him.

When Ravenpaw left the camp through the gorse tunnel, the forest came to life with birdsong. Sandpaw trotted up, her tail flicking. "Where will we hunt today?"

"Past the stream, by Fourtrees," came Tigerclaw's reply. He led the patrol further into the woods.

"It looks like prey will be plentiful today," Whitestorm remarked.

Tigerclaw nodded, not looking back. "Indeed."

After they crossed the stream, Whitestorm stopped the patrol in a clearing surrounded by an assortment of oak and birch trees. "Here is the plan, Ravenpaw. Tigerclaw and I will be here to start," Whitestorm began, "but you'll probably need to hunt longer than a normal hunting patrol, considering you have to feed all the elders. You will hunt alongside Sandpaw for the rest of the day if you don't catch enough before we need to leave."

Ravenpaw nodded, but Sandpaw flicked her tail irritably. "Wait, so now _I'm_ getting punished. What if he takes until moonhigh?"

Turning to Sandpaw, Whitestorm sighed. "Then you will accompany him until moonhigh. You can practice hunting as a team with Ravenpaw as the day goes on. It will be good experience for you."

"Yes, Whitestorm." Sandpaw accepted her mentor's order without question, although her tail twitched in annoyance. Ravenpaw couldn't help feeling bad; Sandpaw hadn't done anything. He supposed he wouldn't like to be stuck kit-sitting a fellow apprentice either.

Ravenpaw suddenly realized that Tigerclaw was staring at him. "What are you waiting for?" the dark tabby meowed. "Do you think your prey will leap into your mouth if you sit still enough?"

"I'm going," Ravenpaw meowed hastily, bolting to his paws.

"Stay within a tree-length of this clearing," Whitestorm ordered. "That goes for all of us," he added to the rest of the patrol. "There won't be any use accompanying Ravenpaw if we are too far away to hear each other." Ravenpaw bristled at the implication of Whitestorm's words. _He's worried I'll be attacked by Darkstripe again and will have to yowl for help._

Ravenpaw nodded. "Yes, Whitestorm." He began to walk away but a sharp meow stopped him.

"Ravenpaw, I bet I'll catch more than you." The challenge was clear in Sandpaw's mew.

Ravenpaw was unsure how to respond; she had seemed angry with him just moments earlier. "Um, right. We'll see about that."

"Can we get on with this or are we going to talk all day?" Tigerclaw snapped.

"Yes, Tigerclaw," Ravenpaw and Sandpaw replied at the same time. While Sandpaw and Whitestorm headed one way together, and Tigerclaw broke off to look for prey in a thick patch of undergrowth, Ravenpaw turned to head in the opposite direction.

Padding a short distance until his Clanmates were blurs of ginger, white, and brown, Ravenpaw surveyed the area. He found himself at the base of a thick oak tree. The sound of birds chirping to each other fell through the branches, ruffling his ear fur.

_There has to be prey up there._ Heart soaring, Ravenpaw scaled the sturdy oak in swift bounds. It reminded him of how he had frantically climbed a tree like this in an attempt to escape the first time Darkstripe had attacked, but at the same time he knew he had gained a new sense of confidence above the ground since the event. A few moons ago he never would have attempted to ascend such a tall tree without hesitation. From this far up the looming outline of Fourtrees was visible, and beyond that the moor.

He looked down at the clearing. Whitestorm and Sandpaw were moving toward him now, and Ravenpaw could see Sandpaw stop to bury a small, brown animal in soil. She must have caught something already.

Soon Tigerclaw walked out from behind a bramble thicket, a piece of prey in his jaws. From a distance it was hard to tell what it was, but Ravenpaw guessed he was carrying a rabbit. Tigerclaw placed the prey into a small dent in the ground and buried it, and then began to walk up to Whitestorm and Sandpaw. They began to signal to each other with their tails; Ravenpaw figured there was prey on the ground they were going to corner as a group.

Perched on a branch about midway up the tree, Ravenpaw sniffed the air. It was cold and damp, and the breeze carried the scent of more rain to come. But there was a different, very familiar smell too, drifting in the wind, and it was coming from the moor. He squinted, and was able to make out the shadowy figures of several cats padding toward Fourtrees from WindClan's hunting grounds. Could those cats be Dustpelt and Graystripe?

"Hey, Sandpaw!" Half-running, half-falling, Ravenpaw hurried down the side of the tree. "Whitestorm!"

Sandpaw hissed, and Ravenpaw flinched when he saw a squirrel bound away. "Ravenpaw!" Whitestorm scolded him. Ravenpaw winced; in his excitement he had completely forgotten about the other cats' hunting.

Flattening her ears, Sandpaw glared at him. "What'd you do that for? I had it!"

"I'm sorry," Ravenpaw mewed, ducking his head. "I just saw-"

Tigerclaw interrupted him. "What? Did you see a bird and think you'd ask it if you could catch it?" His eyes held a cruel gleam.

Ravenpaw shook his head, ignoring Tigerclaw's comment. "They're almost here- Dustpelt and Graystripe are back."

Whitestorm, Tigerclaw and Sandpaw raised their noses. "He's right," murmured Whitestorm, turning toward the Gathering place.

Sandpaw wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "Is that WindClan with them?"

Tigerclaw pushed past Ravenpaw and led the group to the edge of the hollow that bordered Fourtrees. After quickly scanning the area, Tigerclaw flicked his tail, and they headed down into the clearing of Fourtrees. Ravenpaw trailed behind as Tigerclaw settled himself a good distance away from the Great Rock. His ears were pricked as he stared out at the vast expanse of WindClan territory.

Fidgeting, Ravenpaw wrapped his tail around his paws, and he and Sandpaw stood shoulder to shoulder as the familiar cats came into view. There were four of them in all, and two of them were Graystripe and Dustpelt. Tigerclaw padded up. "Dustpelt, Graystripe," he greeted them. "I take it you were successful in your mission."

Ravenpaw realized his tail had inexplicably swished in surprise. Graystripe and Dustpelt were standing by two unfamiliar cats. Graystripe nodded vigorously, his eyes shining. "WindClan has returned."

One of the cats Ravenpaw didn't recognize stepped forward. "WindClan thanks you for your assistance." The tang of the unfamiliar cats smelled strange to Ravenpaw; he had only detected WindClan scent a few times before, and he had never seen a WindClan cat face to face.

Whitestorm dipped his head formally. "Greetings, Deadfoot. I am glad that ThunderClan was able to help you. I hope your Clan thrives on its territory for many moons to come."

"Indeed," Tigerclaw meowed. Ravenpaw could tell that Tigerclaw had narrowed his eyes from his tone of voice, even though he could only see his back. Tigerclaw's head was raised arrogantly, and Ravenpaw wondered if the WindClan cats knew that he was ThunderClan's deputy; when they had been driven away, Lionheart had still been alive.

The WindClan cats nodded in return, and after sharing one last goodbye with Dustpelt and Graystripe, headed back toward the uplands.

"Let's not wait around all day then," Tigerclaw mewed gruffly. "Bluestar will want to hear about this." Ravenpaw blinked; Tigerclaw did not sound pleased, but then again, he never did.

"It's good to be home. Finally." Graystripe fell into step beside Ravenpaw as they began to make their way back. "Ugh, I feel like my paws could fall off."

"Well that's better than what could have happened," Dustpelt muttered.

"Better than what?" echoed Sandpaw, sounding confused. Ravenpaw shared her bewilderment.

Graystripe flicked his tail, sighing. "Just a bit ago when we were walking back with Deadfoot and Onewhisker, I was just saying that there must be a faster way to get to Fourtrees . . ."

"And _some_ cat mentioned that we could take a shortcut through RiverClan territory," Dustpelt mewed, rolling his eyes.

"Everyone was thinking it," Graystripe protested. "We'd been travelling for two days straight. Onewhisker and Deadfoot were both okay with it..."

"By the time you said anything it didn't matter anyway." Dustpelt shook his head. "We were almost at Fourtrees; it wouldn't have made sense to go through RiverClan territory then."

"I'm glad you decided against it," Whitestorm meowed, his gaze severe. "The implications of ThunderClan and WindClan warriors together on RiverClan territory would have been serious."

Graystripe ducked his head.

"Exactly," Dustpelt meowed, flicking his ears at Graystripe, clearly glad to have proven his point. "Thank you, Whitestorm."

"Where did you find them, anyway?" Sandpaw asked, her eyes betraying her curiosity.  She showed no signs of bitterness toward Dustpelt now.

"They were in a Twoleg tunnel," Dustpelt told her. "Most disgusting place I've ever seen." Sandpaw looked up, asking for more details, and Dustpelt and Graystripe launched into an explanation. They had apparently made their way to the WindClan camp first, and then followed the scent trail of the fleeing WindClan cats out of the territory and across a tangle of Thunderpaths. On the way back they had gone through the Twolegplace.

"Did you see Barley?" Ravenpaw asked, remembering the black-and-white loner who lived on a farm near the Twolegplace.

"No," Graystripe replied. "We crossed by that way and stayed in a field during the night night- it was this kind of sheltered area with a few trees- but we didn't see him."

Dustpelt nodded, although he still wasn't meeting Ravenpaw's eyes. "It was a good thing we found the place too. It wasn't as sheltered as it could have been, but it was better than open ground."

"What did you do when WindClan got back? What is their camp like?" Ravenpaw asked.

"I can tell you all about it after we make our report to Bluestar," Graystripe offered.

"Later tonight," Ravenpaw replied, glancing away. "I have to hunt for the elders first."

"Huh?" Graystripe narrowed his eyes teasingly. "Did you get in trouble?"

Sandpaw spoke up before Ravenpaw could think of an answer. "You're not the only ones with news."

Eyes flickering with interest, Graystripe looked at Sandpaw, waiting for her to continue.

"Ravenpaw ran off during a patrol with Tigerclaw," she meowed. "Darkstripe found him and tried to kill him." Sandpaw's mew was matter of fact, with none of her usual hint of teasing.

Graystripe whipped around to face Ravenpaw, his amber eyes filled with shock and concern. "Are you alright?"

Ravenpaw's tail twitched. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a few scratches..." A chill ran down his spine as he remembered. Dustpelt was eyeing him uncomfortably, seemingly not knowing what to say.

"So Tigerclaw has him on elders' duties for wandering. He's hunting today," Sandpaw finished.

"Except I can't leave the camp alone," Ravenpaw put in. "So I have to go with Sandpaw."

"Great StarClan!" Graystripe meowed, his eyes glimmering with amusement. "You'd think nearly getting murdered would be punishment enough!"

Sandpaw met his remark with a shove.

"I was kidding!" Graystripe protested as Sandpaw stalked off.

"Oh, and I forgot, did I tell you how Darkstripe had him cornered?" Sandpaw gave Graystripe and Dustpelt a side-long glance. "I was the one who fought him off." She raised her nose smugly. "You should be thanking me."

"Many cats played a part, Sandpaw, not just you." Whitestorm's meow was stern. "Without the help of Runningwind, Mousefur, Tigerclaw, and if I may say so without sounding brash- myself, the outcome of the situation could have been very different."

"Yes, Whitestorm."

"And it was all because one cat was too stupid to listen to orders," muttered Tigerclaw, his voice low. Flattening his ears, Ravenpaw quickened his pace.

When they were midway back to camp Whitestorm broke the silence. "Ravenpaw, Sandpaw weren't you going hunting? Not all of us are needed to bring back the news of the mission's success; you may as well start now."

"Oh yeah," Sandpaw meowed. "Come on Ravenpaw."

"Wait a moment." Whitestorm held up his tail to stop them. "Tell us where you're going."

Sandpaw frowned. "Is Sunningrocks okay?"

Whitestorm nodded. "Be sure to stay close. Go straight there, hunt, and then return. I doubt Darkstripe will be anywhere near there, but remain alert."

"Yes, Whitestorm," Sandpaw recited. Ravenpaw murmured his agreement.

The two apprentices set off through the undergrowth and it wasn't long before they had reached Sunningrocks; their path back to camp had brought them close to the RiverClan border. Sandpaw waved her tail. "We'll keep each other in sight, agreed?"

Ravenpaw nodded. The two separated, although he could still see the pale ginger apprentice through the undergrowth. He tasted the air. There had been a few mice and water voles here recently, but their trails led away from Sandpaw. Ravenpaw frowned. He'd have to go back and see if there was prey near his Clanmate.

He looked back and realized that he couldn't see Sandpaw. _Perhaps she's just hidden behind the trees._ Ravenpaw ducked around the bushes, growing more worried the further he went.

Pure terror coursed through his pelt as Yellowfang's prophecy suddenly crossed his mind. He hadn't even thought about that! And Sandpaw was alone right now; what if she fell into the river and drowned? Panting, Ravenpaw raced back to meet her.

Ravenpaw was almost at the point where they'd separated when a screech rang out. _Sandpaw!_ Ravenpaw darted the final few tail-lengths back to where he'd left her.

What he saw rooted his paws to the ground. Darkstripe was standing over a motionless ginger shape, claws glinting with blood.

"No!" Ravenpaw yowled. Darkstripe's head slowly turned. He left Sandpaw and began to lope toward Ravenpaw.

Suddenly, the ginger apprentice hurled herself at Darkstripe. She wasn't dead, Ravenpaw realized, his chest aching with relief. It had just been a ploy. And it had worked brilliantly. Darkstripe was now struggling against her fierce claw swipes. There was a single deep cut on her flank but aside from that she didn't appear hurt.

Still frozen, Ravenpaw was jolted out of his shocked state by Sandpaw's yowl: "Help me, you mousebrain!"

He bounded straight at Darkstripe, his fur bristling in terror. He raised a forepaw to strike Darkstripe's muzzle, but the dark tom reared up and twisted out of reach.

"I said I'd kill you!" Darkstripe roared, closing his jaws on Ravenpaw's tail. Sandpaw hacked at his ear; the dark warrior scrambled backward and tried to push her aside with his hind paws.

A fishy smell brushed Ravenpaw's nose. He spun around. A dark gray RiverClan apprentice had seen the commotion, and apparently recognizing Darkstripe, had begun to swim across the river.

Ravenpaw didn't have time to think about why a RiverClan cat would help them so readily. Darkstripe was viciously snapping at him and Sandpaw. "Traitors! I'll have my revenge on you all!" He reached out with unsheathed claws, and Ravenpaw stumbled to the ground in his haste to avoid them. He gasped, feeling as though all the air had been knocked out of his lungs.

The RiverClan apprentice bounded up the side of Sunningrocks, not bothering to shake the water out of her pelt. "You're the traitor!" she cried. She slashed at Darkstripe and for the first time a glimmer of fear appeared in his cruel green eyes.

A sudden barrage of yowls rose up from the river. More RiverClan cats were swimming across the river. The RiverClan apprentice was still snarling insults at Darkstripe, swiping at him alongside Sandpaw. The dark tom was worried now; he seemed to be trying to position himself out of reach so he could run away, but Sandpaw and the RiverClan apprentice had him trapped.

A blue-gray tom Ravenpaw recognized as Stonefur was heaving himself up the side of Sunningrocks, his Clanmates just mouse-lengths ahead of him. The RiverClan cats were charging, and Ravenpaw saw the gray apprentice turn to her Clanmates, calling out a warning.

But the rest of the RiverClan cats either didn't see or recognize Darkstripe. They seemed to think ThunderClan was attacking. In the chaos, they caterwauled and rushed into the fray... against Ravenpaw and Sandpaw!

A dark tom careened into Sandpaw's side. "No!" Sandpaw yowled, pushing herself out of his grasp. "It's him- it's Darkstripe! You mousebrained idiots, ThunderClan isn't attacking you, Darkstripe is!"

At that single moment of chaos, several things happened at once. Ravenpaw let out a startled shriek as Sandpaw feinted to the right, leaving an empty space in front of the gray RiverClan apprentice. Darkstripe pounced where Sandpaw had just been. He slammed into the gray apprentice's side, and the she-cat lost her balance. She tripped over the edge of one of Sunningrocks' boulders.

With a sickening crack, the gray apprentice landed on one of the rocks that jutted out from the shore.

The blue-gray tom let out an ear piercing yowl. "Shadepaw! No!"

Seeing that the enraged patrol of RiverClan warriors were distracted, Darkstripe darted away.

"They killed her!"

"After him!" a golden tabby she-cat yowled. A black tom raced after Darkstripe in response to her cry, but moments later bounded back.

"He's gone!" the black cat yowled.

A dark tabby tom in the back of the group either hadn't seen Darkstripe or didn't care. He barreled into Ravenpaw, knocking the wind out of him. Another cat had pinned Sandpaw. The silver she-cat raised a forepaw to strike her.

"Wait!" Ravenpaw yowled, battering his attacker with his hind paws.

"Stop!" Sandpaw snarled. "We are not your enemies! That was Darkstripe attacking her, not us!"

The RiverClan cats froze, their eyes flicking between Ravenpaw and Sandpaw. The two apprentices wriggled free of their attackers and backed away, panting.

Stonefur stepped forward to sniff at a clump of fur resting on the boulder. He narrowed his eyes. "It's true."

"Right!" A dark tabby slid to the front of the group. "Lying murderers!" Ravenpaw and Sandpaw took a step back, ready to defend themselves against the enraged tom.

"Stop this at once, Whiteclaw." The golden tabby she-cat bounded over to face him, her amber eyes lit with fury. "Attacking these cats won't help us. They didn't kill Shadepaw." The dark tom looked ready to challenge her, before he seemed to think better of it and sit down. The golden tabby turned to Sandpaw, her gaze still burning with rage. "Is ThunderClan so unable to control its borders that it allows an exiled rogue to roam freely within its hunting grounds?"

Ravenpaw ducked his head. He had now realized who this cat was. It was Leopardfur, the _deputy_ of RiverClan. What could he ever say to her?

But Sandpaw barely shrank back from the older warrior at all. "Like it's our fault Darkstripe attacked. Did you not see that he was trying to kill us as well? See here?" She flourished her tail at Ravenpaw. "This is who he's after, not RiverClan cats. That apprentice just got in his way."

" _That apprentice_ is dead because of you!" Whiteclaw curled his lip.

But Sandpaw didn't back down. "She chose to come here."

Ravenpaw worried that Sandpaw had spoken too freely when Leopardfur stalked forward, growling. Stonefur held up his tail to stop her. "Knowing Shadepaw... she couldn't just watch cats being attacked without doing anything." He bowed his head solemnly.

"She died a warrior's death," meowed the silver she-cat who had held down Sandpaw.

"We will make sure Bluestar knows of this," Sandpaw meowed. "She will do something about Darkstripe, I'm sure of it."

"See that she does." Leopardfur turned on her heels and began the descent down Sunningrocks. "I will get Shadepaw. The rest of you return to camp."

Stonefur spoke up. "No. Shadepaw was my apprentice. I will carry her home."

Ravenpaw almost expected Leopardfur to refuse, but she nodded and stepped aside, allowing Stonefur to pass.

"Come on," Sandpaw meowed quietly. Ravenpaw nodded, and they set off together at a run. They needed to get back to their own camp.


	8. Chapter 7

Alarmed murmuring spread through the cats in the clearing at the sight of Ravenpaw's and Sandpaw's wounds. They hadn't made it more than a few steps past the gorse tunnel before what seemed like the entire Clan swarmed around them.

Graystripe bounded over to the returning apprentices. "How'd you get those cuts?"

"Darkstripe," Sandpaw spat.

"Again?!" Cats were jostling around to see what had happened.

"Let them through," Whitestorm meowed, his voice authoritative. "Bluestar needs to be informed of this."

"That traitor needs to be chased off," Dustpelt growled, padding up. "I'll even lead the patrol!"

Whitestorm shook his head. "Wait. We don't have enough warriors to take a patrol now; Longtail's hunting party isn't back yet." Ravenpaw blinked. It was true; he hadn't noticed in the commotion, but most of the cats in the camp were elders and queens. Dustpelt, Whitestorm, and Graystripe were the only warriors present. Strangely, there was no sign of Tigerclaw; Ravenpaw figured his mentor must have gone hunting again. "Let them tell Bluestar; she will decide what to do."

Lashing his tail, Dustpelt gave Whitestorm a grudging nod. Ravenpaw scuffed his paws against the ground as Sandpaw nudged his side. "Come on," she meowed, pointing with her nose at Bluestar's den.

He flattened his ears as they made their way across the camp. Cats were still muttering in alarm, and Ravenpaw could see Frostfur and Speckletail peering into the forest as though they thought their former Clanmate would appear from the bushes. Graystripe meowed something to Patchpelt; the black-and-white tom answered him with a flick of his ear. Ravenpaw was still trailing behind Sandpaw when she padded up to meow into the entrance of their leader's den. "Bluestar?"

"Come in." At the sound of Bluestar's voice, Ravenpaw and Sandpaw slid into the den.

Bluestar's eyes swept over them, and Ravenpaw guessed she noticed their ruffled fur and the faint scent of blood. "What's going on?" Bluestar questioned them, her tail flicking.

"Darkstripe is still roaming about within ThunderClan territory, apparently," Sandpaw spat, sitting down. "He attacked us."

Bluestar jerked her head up in surprise. "Where did this happen?"

"Ravenpaw and I were hunting at Sunningrocks," Sandpaw explained, while Ravenpaw uncomfortably chose a spot next to her. "We had just split up to track separate scent trails when Darkstripe attacked me from out of nowhere." She lashed her tail, and Ravenpaw could hear a growl rise from deep in her throat. "Ravenpaw heard the fighting and ran back, and Darkstripe started clawing at both of us, and well, it must have been pretty loud because a RiverClan apprentice saw what was happening and swam across the river to help us. A whole RiverClan patrol showed up while the three of us were fighting Darkstripe." Sandpaw paused.

"Then what happened?" Bluestar meowed.

"He killed the RiverClan apprentice," Ravenpaw mewed dully. "He pushed her off the top of Sunningrocks." _That could have been me,_ he realized with a shiver. _  
_

Bluestar's eyes widened. Then she shook her head, looking disgusted. "He has done so many terrible things. But to actually kill a cat..." Her eyes narrowed.

"The apprentice was the only one that even recognized him," Sandpaw added, sounding annoyed. "The other RiverClan cats would have attacked _us_ if I hadn't pointed out that it was Darkstripe that killed her."

Bluestar frowned seriously. "What was their reaction when they found out?"

Sandpaw let out a low growl. "They still weren't happy with us. They accused ThunderClan of allowing Darkstripe to wander the territory, so naturally the blame is on us."

Bluestar flicked her tail. "Then it seems we may need new warriors much sooner than I thought," she mewed, sounding as though she was talking to herself. She turned back to the apprentices. "Thank you, both of you. Sandpaw you may go." Sandpaw dipped her head, eyeing Ravenpaw curiously as she left.

"Ravenpaw," Bluestar began. "Is there anything that happened between you and Darkstripe that would make him so hostile? Did he even know you were there before he attacked Sandpaw?"

Ravenpaw rapidly shook his head. This was the second time she had asked if he understood Darkstripe's motives, and he was struggling to determine how to respond. Should he even say anything at all? Bluestar raised an important point. The first two times Darkstripe had specifically went after him, but now it wasn't so clear. Perhaps he wanted revenge on all of ThunderClan.

Bluestar sighed. "It seems that Darkstripe did lose his mind in some way. I don't understand it, but some time in his last few moons with us, he lost his loyalty." She straightened up, returning to a brisk voice. "From now on you should always have at least two cats with you when you leave the camp." At Ravenpaw's alarmed look, she touched her tail to his flank. "Darkstripe has shown that he will not hesitate to attack multiple cats at once and it appears that he may try to single you out."

Ravenpaw bristled, distressed. The fact that Bluestar was concerned enough for his safety to require yet another cat to accompany him outside of camp made a renewed sense of terror wash through his pelt. "For- for how long?"

"Until Darkstripe is gone. Don't worry, it won't be forever," she added at Ravenpaw's fearful look. "Just until we're certain we've driven him off for good."

Ravenpaw's tail twitched. He was unsure how to feel about this. On one paw, he had been looking forward to being able to hunt alone in the forest again. On the other, he was grateful that he would have to be with two warriors and not one; that way Tigerclaw couldn't take him out alone and quietly murder him.

Bluestar's eyes grew distant, as though she was remembering the time when Darkstripe had been a loyal member of ThunderClan. "We will stop him, Ravenpaw, even if I have to kill him myself."

Ravenpaw didn't know what to say to that. Eventually he settled on a nod.

"You may go," Bluestar meowed, and then turned to add: "Send Dustpelt and Graystripe to me. I wish to speak with them."

"Yes, Bluestar." Ravenpaw nodded again, and padded out of Bluestar's den. He wondered why Bluestar would want to meet with them again; surely Dustpelt and Graystripe had already given a full report of their journey to WindClan by now.

He caught sight of Dustpelt sitting by the warriors' den. "Dustpelt!" He hurried to meet his brother, but the brown tabby had already gotten up to walk away. "Wait-"

Ravenpaw frowned; Dustpelt apparently thought he was going to try to talk to him about Tigerclaw. Dustpelt ducked into the warriors' den, clearly still trying to avoid him.

Ravenpaw trotted to the den and poked his head inside. "Dustpelt-"

"Great StarClan, Ravenpaw!" Dustpelt burst out. "Will you just drop it already?!"

"Actually," Ravenpaw began with a lash of his tail, "I wasn't going to say anything about that. Bluestar wants to see you."

Dustpelt stared at him for a long moment, and then heaved himself to his paws with an irritable snort.

"And Graystripe as well," Ravenpaw added quickly before Dustpelt ran out of earshot. The tom flicked his ear in grudging acknowledgement as he brushed past.

Ravenpaw sighed. He was heading toward the apprentices' den when Sandpaw trotted up. "Yellowfang wants to see you."

Bristling, Ravenpaw felt his eyes widen. "Why?"

"She wants to see both of us, actually. To treat any injuries."

Ravenpaw shivered. With his mind so full of anxiety, he wasn't sure he could take it if Yellowfang started making sharp-tongued remarks, but blood was oozing between his toes, and his paw pads were sore from clawing so desperately at the rocks. He nodded his assent.

When they arrived Yellowfang was ready for them. "Sit here," she instructed. Ravenpaw prepared himself for the familiar insults she'd hurled at him during her early days in the Clan, but she didn't speak any further. Instead she began to sniff at Sandpaw's injuries, focusing on the deep cut in her side. Ravenpaw almost dozed off, but he was still too tense from nearly being killed to let his attention fade.

After chewing up an herb mixture, Yellowfang finally spoke. "This will sting." She applied the herbs to Sandpaw's cut, after a short while backed away. "You're free to go, but no patrolling for the rest of the day. Come back to get your wound checked tomorrow."

"Thanks, Yellowfang." Sandpaw left the den.

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. "You." Ravenpaw tensed. "Where does it hurt the most?"

Ravenpaw blinked. "My- my forepaws I suppose. And I think my ear is torn."

Yellowfang padded up to examine his ear. Finally she answered him. "It's just a nick in your ear tip, not a full tear. Nothing my herbs can't help. Lift your paw up," she added, flicking her tail. Ravenpaw hesitantly complied. Yellowfang scowled. "Now, that needs to be cleaned first. Lick the grit out of your paws while I make the salve." She pushed the remaining herbs toward Ravenpaw, crouched down, and began to chew them into a pulp.

Ravenpaw cleaned his paw pads one by one, feeling a sharp sting every time he ran his tongue across his scraped pads. It was painful, and he knew it could have been so much worse, but he was still chilled to the bone when he thought about Darkstripe's attack. He wondered how Bluestar would respond; surely she would do more than increase patrols at this point, now that it was clear that Darkstripe might not be solely focused on Ravenpaw.

His paws were almost free of sand and grit when a shadow appeared across the opening of the medicine den. It was Tigerclaw; the dark tom looked furious as he strode into the den.

"What's taking so long with you?" Tigerclaw demanded, not to Yellowfang, but to Ravenpaw. He shoved his muzzle in Ravenpaw's face. "When are going to finish hunting? The elders need to eat."

Yellowfang pushed herself between them. "Now, Tigerclaw, leave my patient in peace. He _can't_ hunt. No regular duties for the rest of the day; he'll worsen his injuries." Ravenpaw couldn't tell if Yellowfang really thought scraped paw pads were that bad of an injury or if she just disliked Tigerclaw.

Tigerclaw looked murderous; Ravenpaw reflected how different he looked from when he talked to ThunderClan's old medicine cat, Spottedleaf. "Well, how will the elders get fed then?"

Yellowfang's reply was sharp. "I don't know, maybe have some other cat bring them fresh-kill. I do believe there are several cats in this Clan who know how to hunt."

Tigerclaw stared at Yellowfang in disbelief, and for a moment Ravenpaw thought he was going to claw her. Then he turned to Ravenpaw. "You need to catch twice as much tomorrow to make up for today," Tigerclaw growled, before whipping around and disappearing out of the entrance.

Yellowfang went back to applying the poultice as though nothing had happened, but the air seemed to tingle in the wake of Tigerclaw's rage. "Those must be some intense training sessions," she meowed, dabbing the tip of Ravenpaw's ear with the herb mixture.

"It's not too bad," Ravenpaw lied automatically, shifting his paws. "Tigerclaw is just... a strict mentor."

Yellowfang gave him one of her long looks. "Take this and lick it onto your paw pads," she meowed. As Ravenpaw applied the herbs to his cracked paws, he could still feel Yellowfang's eyes boring into his fur. When he was done, Yellowfang got up to flick the herb mixture off her dark gray fur and then swept the unused herbs into a pile. "Take it easy for the night, and try not to walk too much. That salve will wear off if you start running across the territory."

"Yes, Yellowfang." Ravenpaw darted out of the medicine den before she could say anything else.

He padded over to rest by the tree stump. Sandpaw was there, resting on her side, and she looked at him curiously as he sat down. "Are you all right? Tigerclaw looked furious when he left."

It took a moment for Ravenpaw to realize what she said. "Oh yeah. I'm fine."

Sandpaw narrowed her pale green eyes. "Bluestar is going to send a patrol to find him," she meowed.

Ravenpaw followed her gaze to the Highrock. Bluestar was talking to Tigerclaw at its base. Most cats had returned from their patrols by now, and a crowd had formed in anticipation of an announcement.

Bluestar got up abruptly, and bunched her muscles to bound up the rock. Ravenpaw stumbled to a spot near the edge of the crowd as Bluestar leaped to the top of the Highrock and called out the summons for a Clan meeting.

With so many cats resting in the main clearing she didn't have to wait long to begin. "Most of you are probably aware that Darkstripe has attacked again," Bluestar meowed once the cats got settled. "This time, he ambushed Sandpaw and Ravenpaw near Sunningrocks. A RiverClan apprentice died coming to their aid." Confused murmurs spread through the camp.

"What was he even _doing_ at Sunningrocks?" Mousefur exclaimed. Ravenpaw frowned. Darkstripe clearly wanted revenge on not just him, but all of ThunderClan; if that was his goal, surely it shouldn't have mattered where he attacked his former Clanmates. But why then, did he choose Sunningrocks? Why was he even there in the first place? Was he just randomly roaming his former Clan's territory? Ravenpaw shook his head to himself. Darkstripe had gone mad over being betrayed by Tigerclaw; there probably wasn't any rhyme or reason to what he was doing.

"I don't know," Bluestar answered honestly. "But because of Darkstripe's actions, we have no choice in the matter anymore. This is the second time in three days he has attacked a ThunderClan cat, and every one of you should remain alert. Remember, Darkstripe was a member of ThunderClan until recently, so he knows our border patrol routes; that is likely how he was able to cross our territory undetected. Starting today, patrols will be sent out to actively search for him, and we won't stop until we have driven him off our territory for good. Darkstripe has proven time and time again that he is willing to kill.

"The first patrol will be sent out tonight," Bluestar continued. "Tigerclaw, Longtail, Mousefur, Goldenflower, and Dustpelt, start your search at Sunningrocks. Track him as far as his trail leads. If any of you see him, and he refuses to leave our territory, you have my permission to kill him."

Tigerclaw nodded, and gathered the cats Bluestar had named. In a flash they had left. Ravenpaw realized that he was trembling, although he wasn't sure why. The danger was gone now, wasn't it? Then Ravenpaw realized he was kidding himself; Tigerclaw had certainly made his intentions clear even if the rest of the Clan didn't know what he'd done.

While Darkstripe was a crazed murderer, he was also the only cat who had ever spoken out against Tigerclaw. Ravenpaw was sure Tigerclaw wouldn't hesitate to kill the dark tom, solely because he was one of the few cats who knew of his treachery.

* * *

Later that evening, Graystripe stopped by his old spot by the apprentices' den. He flicked his ears at Ravenpaw. "Are you doing all right?"

Ravenpaw nodded, still numb. _I should be getting used to almost getting murdered at this point,_ he thought wryly. Aloud he mewed: "I'm fine." But that was the furthest thing from the truth; he could feel his fear closing in on him again, like it had so many times after he'd witnessed Redtail's murder.

Graystripe narrowed his eyes. "If you're sure." He paused. "Want to share a squirrel?"

Looking over at the fresh-kill pile, Ravenpaw noticed that it was almost entirely filled, and on top were two squirrels. "Sure."

They headed over to the fresh-kill pile. "Longtail and Runningwind caught these," Graystripe explained, prodding the larger squirrel with his paw. Ravenpaw nodded, trying to feign interest. "They found a whole nest of them, apparently."

They picked up their meal and headed back to the apprentices' den, where Ravenpaw let Graystripe fill the void with conversation, mewing agreement occasionally. Had the patrol found Darkstripe yet? If only that RiverClan cat had tried to follow him for longer than a few moments, maybe Darkstripe would already have been caught.

When they had finished, Graystripe yawned and stretched. "Frostfur's oldest litter is being apprenticed tonight."

"Really?" Ravenpaw meowed, the news of new apprentices distracting him from his dark musings. "I thought they weren't six moons yet."

Graystripe shrugged. "They're only a few days off. Frostfur thinks they're getting too rowdy for the nursery."

_That's probably true._ Swinging his head around, Ravenpaw pricked his ears. Sure enough, loud high-pitched meows were emanating from the nursery. "Do you know who their mentors will-" His question died in his throat as the sound of paws thrumming against the ground echoed through the camp.

The patrol of ThunderClan cats had returned, and it was clear that they had been unsuccessful in its hunt for Darkstripe from their sullen faces and dragging tails. Ravenpaw wasn't sure what to feel. If they had captured Darkstripe and killed him, it would leave Ravenpaw as the sole survivor of Tigerclaw's treachery. At the same time, Darkstripe had tried to kill him, and Ravenpaw knew it was useless to hope for an ally in his would-be murderer.

Tigerclaw gave his report to Bluestar near the Highrock, while Ravenpaw made sure to keep his distance as he crept up to hear what was going on. Other cats were sliding up to listen as well.

"What happened?" Ravenpaw mewed quietly, padding up to the only cat he felt comfortable asking: Mousefur.

"Tracked him as far as the stream," Mousefur meowed.

"He was trying to throw us off by crossing it." Dustpelt's tail lashed. "I'd bet a couple of mouse tails that he walked along the shoreline so we couldn't scent him."

"Don't worry, we'll get him eventually," Mousefur reassured him.

Tigerclaw was still talking to Bluestar. "There was no use continuing at that point," he finished, growling.

"If he keeps trespassing so openly it's only a matter of time until we find him." Bluestar nodded her approval. "Don't be disheartened. We will try again for as long as it takes."

Grumbling, Dustpelt trotted away. Wondering what his brother thought of Darkstripe, Ravenpaw gritted his teeth. He considered if there was a reason to try to talk to Dustpelt about Tigerclaw or Darkstripe anymore; if being attacked by Darkstripe multiple times wasn't enough proof of Tigerclaw's deceit, Dustpelt might never be convinced.


	9. Chapter 8

News spread fast of the impending apprentice ceremony for Frostfur's two oldest kits. It had been only moments since Ravenpaw heard, but suddenly it seemed like it was all cats were talking about. Ravenpaw wondered who their mentors would be, and suppressed a sigh. He had already been training for several moons when Cinderkit and Brackenkit had been born; he hadn't expected to still be training when they were made apprentices.

He glanced at the nursery and caught sight of them: Cinderkit was jabbering excitedly as Frostfur smoothed her fur before the ceremony, while Brackenkit was sitting with a serious look on his face, nodding occasionally in response to his sister's mewing.

Frostfur tilted her head in Ravenpaw's direction. He winced, expecting her to be annoyed at his staring, but she gave him a kind blink and then turned back to grooming her daughter's dark gray pelt. Apparently Ravenpaw's most recent near death incident had made him more sympathetic to the white she-cat; his relationship with Frostfur had cooled greatly since Tigerclaw had spread rumors that Ravenpaw was a ShadowClan spy. Frostfur had barely spoken to him since her kits were very young, even though they were kin.

The moon glowed high in the sky when Bluestar called the summons for the Clan meeting. Ravenpaw and Sandpaw padded into the crowd. Glancing back, Ravenpaw noticed Swiftpaw watching, looking as if he wanted to follow them. Ravenpaw motioned with his tail for the younger apprentice to join him, and the small black-and-white tom scurried to his side.

Ravenpaw peered over the top of the crowd. If he had been quicker he might have been able to sit next to Graystripe, but now he couldn't find the gray warrior at all. Settled with Sandpaw and Swiftpaw near the center of the group of cats, Ravenpaw was wishing that he had chosen a less crowded spot when Bluestar began the ceremony.

"This moonhigh, we gather together to name new apprentices for our Clan. Come forward, Brackenkit and Cinderkit." Bluestar waited a moment for the kits to pad closer to her, and then turned to Cinderkit. "From this moment, until she has earned her warrior name, this kit will be called Cinderpaw."

"Cinderpaw!" the newly named apprentice echoed, her voice filled with excitement and awe. Ravenpaw stifled a purr of amusement when he heard Frostfur silence her with a hiss.

Bluestar kept going as though she hadn't been interrupted. "Dustpelt, you are ready for your first apprentice." _What?_ He shared a shocked glance with Sandpaw, a wave of jealousy coursing through his pelt. How could Dustpelt receive an apprentice while Ravenpaw was still in training himself? He missed most of what Bluestar said next, although he vaguely noted that she didn't mention Dustpelt's mentor, Darkstripe, in her speech. "I expect you to pass down all that you know to Cinderpaw."

Dustpelt padded forward, his eyes gleaming, to touch noses with his new apprentice. He then led Cinderpaw to a spot at the front of the gathered cats.

"And this apprentice, until he has received his warrior name, will be known as Brackenpaw," Bluestar kept on, turning to the calm ginger tom. "Graystripe, you will mentor Brackenpaw. Lionheart was your mentor. I hope that you pass on all that he taught you to this apprentice."

Graystripe stood tall, holding his tail high, and then stepped forward to touch noses with Brackenpaw. Cats murmured and nodded their approval. Ravenpaw frowned, self-doubt creeping through his pelt upon seeing his former denmates being made mentors. Was he really capable of becoming a warrior? He had been training for so many moons already, and Graystripe, who had begun his training two moons later than him, had already been chosen to mentor an apprentice. _But Sandpaw has good warrior skills,_ Ravenpaw told himself. _It's not just you._

_But you're clearly incapable of defending yourself,_ a voice in the back of his mind mewed. _Bluestar thinks you need protection at all times. You'll never be a warrior._ Ravenpaw shook himself. The doubtful voice reminded him of Tigerclaw.

Sandpaw swished her tail, startling Ravenpaw back to the present, and with a huff she began to trot back to the apprentices' den. Ears twitching, Ravenpaw tried to listen to what Graystripe and Dustpelt were saying to their new apprentices as he headed back as well.

They halted at the entrance. Ravenpaw wondered if he should say something, but the ginger apprentice had already disappeared inside the den. He was about to join her when Cinderpaw padded up. "Ravenpaw, did you really catch an adder once?"

Ravenpaw looked up as Brackenpaw and Swiftpaw appeared at Cinderpaw's shoulder, looking curious. "Who told you that?" Ravenpaw meowed.

"Graystripe. He said you're a really good hunter." Ravenpaw's pelt filled with warmth toward his friend as the small gray apprentice tilted her head. Purring, he ducked inside the apprentices' den, and Swiftpaw, Brackenpaw, and Cinderpaw followed close behind. Cinderpaw looked around in wonder as though she had never seen the interior of a den before. "So you did catch an adder," she kept going. "Could you tell us the story about it? Like the one you told us about LightClan and DarkClan, but real."

Ravenpaw blinked; he had told that story seasons ago. "You remember that? You were barely out of the nursery."

"We weren't that young!" Cinderpaw protested, looking very youthful.

"Maybe tomorrow," Ravenpaw meowed, holding back a yawn. "It's already moonhigh; you and Brackenpaw should get some rest for your first day of training."

"Oh, okay. You're right." Cinderpaw glanced around the den. "Where should we make our nests?" she asked, her fur fluffed up in excitement.

Ravenpaw caught sight of Sandpaw rolling her eyes from her spot in the back of the den. "Anywhere is fine," Ravenpaw mewed when Sandpaw and Swiftpaw didn't reply.

"As long as you don't tread on our tails when you leave in the morning," Sandpaw added, settling herself into her nest at the back of the den.

Ravenpaw lay down in his nest next to hers. "When did you become such an elder?" he teased lightheartedly.

Sandpaw's whiskers twitched and she flicked a shred of leaves at him, a good natured gleam in her eye. "Probably because I was the only one taking care of them for the quarter moon after Dustpelt and Graystripe got their warrior names."

"Now the kits get their chance." Ravenpaw was enjoying this. He and Sandpaw seemed to have developed a newfound camaraderie now that they were the oldest apprentices. Sandpaw closed her eyes and shifted deeper into her nest.

Brackenpaw began to arrange a nest near the front of the den, scooping the bedding into a fluffy mat. Upon seeing her brother, Cinderpaw gathered the assorted bits of moss and feathers that layered the ground into a haphazard pile. "I wonder what we'll do tomorrow," she mewed, her blue eyes bright. "I hope we get to see the borders."

Brackenpaw sat down. "Yeah, that would be good."

"Or maybe we'll get to do battle training."

Sandpaw spoke up from where she was lying, her eyes still shut. "Don't get your hopes up. They'll probably have you gather moss."

"Oh." Cinderpaw blinked, tail drooping. She brightened a heartbeat later. "We might get to do other stuff after though. I bet Dustpelt will teach me how to hunt. Hopefully squirrels; I've always wanted to hunt squirrels."

Blinking, and weary with exhaustion, Ravenpaw allowed his eyes to close, hoping that the activity within the den would die down so he could get some rest. Swiftpaw seemed to have the same idea. "I guess it's time to go to sleep," he pointed out.

Grunting in agreement, Brackenpaw circled his nest, and then lay down, rustling the bedding to get comfortable.

Cinderpaw was still talking. Although Ravenpaw was amused by her eagerness, he hoped she wouldn't chatter the whole night.

"I hope our mentors show us the territory," Cinderpaw whispered, her voice quieter now. "Do you think we'll get to see the Thunderpath?"

Brackenpaw rolled over in his new nest, grumbling. "Go to sleep, Cinderpaw." His words didn't seem to dampen her spirits though, and her eyes were still brimming with enthusiasm as she scooted backward, arranging her nest between Swiftpaw's, Brackenpaw's, and Ravenpaw's.

"This is great, Ravenpaw," Cinderpaw meowed softly, curling up next to him. "We're apprentices together now! I can't believe it!"

_Me neither, Cinderpaw,_ Ravenpaw thought, tucking his nose under his tail. _Me neither._

* * *

Ravenpaw had ended up with Longtail and Swiftpaw the next day to hunt, and he somehow managed to catch three squirrels and a chaffinch early in the morning, enough to feed the elders for most of the day. Swiftpaw had been less successful- it had taken him several tries to snag a mouse- but Longtail had been pleased with his apprentice's progress.

Now they were on their way back to camp. Longtail was the first to push his way through the gorse tunnel. Swiftpaw followed his mentor to the fresh-kill pile, while Ravenpaw turned and headed to the elders' den to drop off his prey, waving goodbye to Swiftpaw with his tail as he went.

Most cats were sharing tongues in the scattered patches of sunlight throughout the camp. Runningwind, Willowpelt, and Mousefur were meowing with their heads close together. They had been sent shortly after the apprentice ceremony to patrol the border and search for Darkstripe, but once again they hadn't been able to track him past where they lost him before. Ravenpaw felt a chill course through his pelt. Hopefully Darkstripe had moved on from the Clan territories.

Most of the elders were awake when Ravenpaw brought his cache into the den; only One-Eye was sleeping soundly in a corner.

"Took you long enough," Smallear meowed as Ravenpaw placed one of the squirrels in front of his paws. Ravenpaw shrugged; he was used to the grumpy elder by now.

"Oh, for StarClan's sake, it's still early," Halftail meowed. Ravenpaw dropped the chaffinch next to him. "Thank you, Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw dipped his head gratefully, twitching his whiskers to shake off a stray feather. He was now left with two squirrels for Dappletail and Patchpelt. "Which one would you like?" he asked them.

"Give me the bigger one; I'll leave some for One-Eye when she wakes up," Dappletail meowed. He pushed the two remaining squirrels over to Dappletail and Patchpelt, who muttered their thanks.

Ravenpaw ducked out of the den, reflecting that his punishment truly wasn't bad at all now, especially since it prevented Tigerclaw from training him alone. He was certainly fine with the trade-off, but Bluestar's insistence that two other cats be with him when he went outside the camp would make it difficult to hunt when he wanted to. He'd need to tag along with a hunting patrol later to supply the elders with an evening meal.

He made his way to the fresh-kill pile, picked out a vole, and then headed over to the tree stump. Swiftpaw was already there, eating the mouse he'd caught.

"Good hunting today," Ravenpaw meowed to break the silence.

Swiftpaw nodded.

Ravenpaw nodded too. "Those squirrels practically walked up to me. They didn't stand a chance."

Swiftpaw was still nodding. "Yeah."

Ravenpaw murmured agreement and fell silent again. Although the tom was older than Brackenpaw and Cinderpaw, Swiftpaw was still practically a kit. Ravenpaw hoped Sandpaw would be back soon; at least with her around things wouldn't be so awkward.

They were still resting by the tree stump, and Ravenpaw was giving himself a quick grooming, when Cinderpaw bounded up to him with her tail bushed out. "Oh, Ravenpaw, you're not going to believe what happened today!" The young she-cat gazed up at him with wide, blue eyes as Brackenpaw and Graystripe appeared out of the gorse tunnel. Ravenpaw purred indulgently. He was still having trouble thinking of the little kits he had once told stories to in the nursery as apprentices. "Dustpelt took me all over the territory. I saw the Owltree and the training hollow and the Thunderpath and then we went to Snakerocks and..." Brackenpaw settled himself next to his sister while she talked. Ravenpaw nodded encouragingly, finding himself getting overwhelmed as she went on. "-and when we followed the scent trail, we found a kittypet!"

Brackenpaw's ears pricked with interest. "Really?"

Cinderpaw nodded quickly. "Yeah. It was great. I got to help Dustpelt chase her off."

Swiftpaw spoke up, eyes sparking nervously. "Did it fight back?"

"Well, no," Cinderpaw admitted, ducking her head. "But still, a trespasser! And I got to fight it!" Ravenpaw turned away so they wouldn't see his whiskers twitching with amusement. More likely Dustpelt had chased the kittypet away and allowed Cinderpaw to run alongside him, but her eagerness was promising. She would make a great warrior one day.


	10. Chapter 9

Early morning sunlight filtered into the elders' den through the brambles, flecking the interior with bright spots. Ravenpaw sat next to Dappletail.

"I can apply a poultice to your leg if it's hurting," he volunteered.

Dappletail snorted. "It's fine. Don't waste your herbs." Halftail grumbled to himself; the old tom had been trying to sleep for most of the day, but Dappletail's complaints had stopped him.

"It's no trouble. And Yellowfang's here to help." Ravenpaw glanced at the old medicine cat, who had agreed to join him to convince Dappletail to get treatment for a sore leg after going back and forth with the tortoiseshell elder all morning. Still though, a comfrey root sat untouched at his paws, and Ravenpaw knew he needed to get on with hunting soon as well. If Yellowfang couldn't persuade Dappletail then no one could.

Yellowfang twitched her tail impatiently. "I can collect more comfrey. ThunderClan has a medicine cat for a reason."

Dappletail's patchy tortoiseshell fur was ruffled. "There's nothing wrong with me," she meowed, shifting her body and wincing when she put weight on her hind leg.

"Then quit complaining," Halftail meowed, laying his head back down.

Patchpelt flicked Dappletail with his tail. "You won't get any better if you don't let them treat it."

Finally, Dappletail nodded. "Okay, fine. But don't you use all of that," she added in Ravenpaw's direction, flicking her ear at the comfrey root. "It's leaf-bare; ThunderClan can't afford to waste herbs."

Ravenpaw was about to reply that it wasn't wasting, it was using, but Yellowfang rolled her eyes. "Just do it," she mouthed when Dappletail looked away.

Ravenpaw got to work, quickly chewing the entire bit of comfrey into a poultice. He was used to it now; in the short time he had taken on sole elders duties he had made several poultices, although not with this specific herb. Yellowfang pointed with her nose. "See there. Dab it with the poultice; you'll want to lay it on pretty thick around the knee joint itself." She turned to Dappletail. "Your leg will soon feel better." The old medicine cat backed out of the den, leaving Ravenpaw alone with the elders.

Dappletail turned back, her eyes narrowing. "You didn't use that whole thing, did you?" she demanded. "I told you, I don't need all that."

"Yellowfang took the rest," Ravenpaw replied, thinking quickly. Halftail and Patchpelt shared a knowing glance.

Now that Dappletail had finally agreed, Ravenpaw was able to apply the poultice in a matter of moments, and once he was done, he dipped his head and made to leave; he still needed to find a hunting patrol to tag along with.

Slipping out of the elders' den, Ravenpaw saw Bluestar talking with Yellowfang. When she noticed his gaze she motioned with her tail for him to join her.

As he approached Bluestar rose to her paws. "Ravenpaw, I have decided that your punishment is over. You may return to your warrior training today."

Ravenpaw glanced at Yellowfang, concerned. "What about the elders?"

"I will take care of it," Bluestar replied. Ravenpaw wondered if she meant that she would hunt for them herself. He learned the answer a moment later when Sandpaw walked past, a squirrel clutched in her jaws. "Sandpaw, would you take that to the elders please?"

Sandpaw gave an affirmative grunt through the mouthful of squirrel fur, and turned to pad to the elders den.

Whitestorm had been a few tail-lengths behind her when they padded into the camp.

"I'm taking Sandpaw out again," Whitestorm told them. "We're meeting up with Longtail and Swiftpaw at the training hollow."

Bluestar nodded. "Take Ravenpaw with you. His punishment is over, but Tigerclaw has already left the camp for the day."

Whitestorm nodded. "That's actually quite good that he can come along. Sandpaw and Ravenpaw are a much more even match skill-wise than either of them against Swiftpaw. It will do him good to observe them."

Ravenpaw blinked. Whitestorm thought his fighting skills were evenly matched with Sandpaw's? That was news to him. _Whitestorm is probably just saying that to be nice. He can't actually think I could take on Sandpaw in a fight and win._ He thought back to when Darkstripe had attacked both him and Sandpaw by Sunningrocks. Sandpaw had fearlessly developed a strategy to defeat the traitorous tom, while Ravenpaw had cowered in the background and only lashed out in panic. There was no way he could match Sandpaw's skills.

As he waited for Sandpaw, Longtail, and Swiftpaw to join them, his tail began to twitch nervously. Although he wasn't with Tigerclaw, this training session wasn't going to be easy by any means.

Ravenpaw's anxiety didn't lessen as the group made their way to the sandy hollow together, and he wished he could go back to the elders' den. He hadn't exactly enjoyed caring for the elders, but they had been a distraction from his more pressing worries. Patchpelt was generally friendly and a good conversation partner, as was Halftail, and One-Eye whenever she actually heard what a cat was saying. Ravenpaw supposed he could visit them again sometime, they were Clanmates after all.

When they arrived at the training hollow, Whitestorm didn't hesitate to begin his instructions. "Sandpaw and Ravenpaw, face each other. Ravenpaw, allow Sandpaw to make the first move and then choose how to defend yourself." Ravenpaw nodded in understanding. It was a simple exercise, one that he had done quite a few times before. He must allow Sandpaw to begin her attack and then predict her actions. He flicked his ears. "Get started now. I need to talk to Longtail and Swiftpaw, and then I'll come back and critique you two." He padded away, leaving Ravenpaw and Sandpaw staring at each other.

Ravenpaw shuffled his paws. Sandpaw was watching him through narrowed eyes.

She leaped without warning, and was immediately able to tackle Ravenpaw to the ground. "You can do better than that!" she meowed.

Shaking the dust out of his fur, Ravenpaw got up. He hadn't been prepared to be thrown back into training at a moment's notice, and tried to concentrate. What battle moves should he use? What moves could he even perform well enough to matter in this case? But Sandpaw had already navigated to the center of the clearing and pounced again, flipping Ravenpaw onto his side.

They continued in that vein for a while. At the far corner of the hollow, Longtail was showing Swiftpaw the finer points of the hunter's crouch, while Whitestorm stood with him, giving Swiftpaw advice while also keeping one eye on Sandpaw and Ravenpaw at the same time.

"I can't believe it!" Sandpaw snarled suddenly while circling Ravenpaw. She put in a sudden burst of speed, careening into him and sending him crashing into the ground. "Dustpelt? Training an apprentice? He hasn't even been out of the den for a moon!"

Ravenpaw nodded vigorously, still pinned down. He agreed with her, and even if he didn't, he knew it would be unwise to disagree with Sandpaw at the moment.

"I mean, come on," Sandpaw continued, letting Ravenpaw up and moving back to the starting position. "Runningwind and Mousefur still haven't had apprentices yet. If I were them, I'd be annoyed." Ravenpaw reflected that she already seemed more annoyed than the older warriors.

Sandpaw pounced to the right, but Ravenpaw predicted her leap to late and was pinned against the ground once again. Sandpaw's green eyes still gleamed with irritation. "If there is some deeper reason Bluestar picked Dustpelt of all cats to mentor an apprentice, I'm not seeing it."

"Yeah," Ravenpaw panted, getting up. They moved back to where they started, and in a blur of pale ginger fur, Sandpaw charged at him again. Ravenpaw pushed himself off the ground with all four paws, but he wasn't fast enough; before he knew what was happening, Sandpaw had pinned him again.

"Wait a moment," Whitestorm called from where he was observing the two apprentices. "Ravenpaw, why aren't you fighting back? You're supposed to be defending yourself." Ravenpaw and Sandpaw rolled away from each other. "You must focus on reacting. Try again."

Turning back to Sandpaw, Ravenpaw dug his claws into the ground, readying himself to dodge. All he could focus on was Sandpaw's paws when she sprang, and the pale ginger she-cat was able to tackle him with no trouble.

Whitestorm stepped forward, frowning. "Stop." He waited for Ravenpaw and Sandpaw to get up. "Ravenpaw, you must concentrate on countering Sandpaw's moves. Whenever I see you train, your first instinct is always to dodge. Evading an attack can be an effective strategy, but you cannot be afraid to fight back as well."

Ravenpaw nodded, his pelt coursing with shame. Whitestorm was right. He wouldn't improve his fighting skills without confronting his fear.

Whitestorm flicked his tail. "Come here." Ravenpaw complied. "Tigerclaw taught you the up claw-swipe right?" Ravenpaw nodded, a nervous knot forming in his belly. His mentor had shown him the move, but Ravenpaw had never really gotten the hang of it. "Now, I'm going to use the up claw-swipe, and you're going to counter with a roll and kick with your hind paws."

"Okay," Ravenpaw replied, his voice shrill. The white warrior was nearly as big as Tigerclaw, and his battle skills were sharp. Ravenpaw knew he wouldn't want him as a real enemy; Whitestorm was terrifying enough to practice against.

Whitestorm gave him a tiny nod, and in a fraction of a heartbeat the huge white warrior was bounding toward Ravenpaw, his paws thrumming against the ground. _StarClan help me,_ he prayed, his focus on Whitestorm's glinting claws, sheathed but still visible.

Pausing his charge, Whitestorm reared up on his hind paws, a single forepaw raised. Ravenpaw crouched, rolled underneath Whitestorm, and delivered a swift kick to Whitestorm's exposed belly. The tom wasn't flung into the air like Ravenpaw had seen before when a powerful warrior tried the move, but instead Whitestorm stumbled, landing awkwardly on three paws. He was back on his feet in no time, and gave Ravenpaw an affirmative nod. Ravenpaw had a feeling that Whitestorm hadn't used the full extent of his skill for that, but he was still heartened to have gotten it right.

"Good." Whitestorm fluffed out his fur, shaking the sand and grit out of it. "That is what you must do: react to your foe's moves. Why do you think what you did countered my up claw-swipe?"

"Um..." Frowning, Ravenpaw looked away, confused. Tigerclaw generally didn't explain much; he'd said many times that the theories behind the battle moves were obvious to any cat with a brain. Ravenpaw decided to chance a guess. "It unbalanced you?"

"Yes, exactly," Whitestorm meowed, looking pleased. "If I had tried a different move, such as a basic forward claw-swipe that left me on four paws, that wouldn't have worked; unbalancing a cat on two paws is much easier than unbalancing one on four. Knowing what works- when you should try to knock an enemy to the ground, or when to hang back- is one of the most important skills a warrior uses."

Whitestorm backed away from the two apprentices. "Try again against Sandpaw."

Once again Ravenpaw faced his denmate, but this time his focus was entirely on their mock fight. Sandpaw was crouching low, her ears flat, and Ravenpaw noticed that she was putting most of her weight on her hind paws. When she leaped he was ready. He darted forward, low to the ground as Sandpaw soared over his head.

She hadn't given up yet though, and after landing she whirled around and sprang again. Ravenpaw was about to dodge when he decided on a whim to meet her head-on. Somehow, _Sandpaw_ was thrown to the ground this time. She had been too high off the ground to keep her balance when Ravenpaw slammed into her, and she hadn't been able to stabilize herself nor push herself away.

Whitestorm approached them, regarding the apprentices carefully. "Excellent. Now, Ravenpaw, Sandpaw, switch places."

They complied. It was Ravenpaw's turn to attack first now, and he fidgeted on his paws. Sandpaw's pale green eyes flicked back and forth between his face and his forepaws. Without giving away what he was going to do until the last heartbeat, Ravenpaw leaped a fox-length to one side. Sandpaw had misjudged his movement, and took a step backward, before he dashed directly into her side, unbalancing her.

Ravenpaw drew back, and Sandpaw got up, narrowing her eyes. "Where did that come from?"

Whitestorm said nothing, but gave an approving nod.

* * *

Ravenpaw and Sandpaw returned to camp after a long day of battle training, settling themselves next to the apprentices' den for their evening meal. This was almost like it used to be, Ravenpaw reflected, except he used to sit next to Graystripe, and Sandpaw would have been with Dustpelt. So much had changed in so little time.

They were nearly finished eating when Dustpelt and Graystripe returned, their apprentices trailing close behind, and Ravenpaw noticed with a flicker of surprise that Graystripe's long fur was soaked. Ravenpaw gave Sandpaw a startled look and got up, tail twitching nervously. How could Graystripe have fallen into water at this time in leaf-bare?

He trotted toward them, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Tigerclaw approaching. He watched from a distance, picking up some of what they were saying.

"...and he fell into the water," Cinderpaw was meowing. "It really is deep there. Dustpelt had to help him out," Cinderpaw finished. Tigerclaw stared at her, his eyes narrowing, while Graystripe shivered next to them.

"You'd better get yourself to Yellowfang before you freeze to death," Tigerclaw growled to Graystripe after a long heartbeat.

As Tigerclaw loped away, Dustpelt scowled, rolling his eyes. He glared at Graystripe as the long-haired warrior hurried to the medicine den. Graystripe's fur had started to freeze into thick clumps, and his teeth chattered loudly as he raced across the camp.

"What happened?" Ravenpaw asked, trotting up. Dustpelt gave an annoyed snort and padded away.

Cinderpaw looked up at him, her whiskers twitching. "Oh, Graystripe fell into the stream. I got caught out on the ice, and when he tried to help me he fell through."

Ravenpaw bristled. "It's a good thing you didn't fall in. You're so small you'd catch a chill for days!"

"Yes, it was really deep," Cinderpaw agreed. Next to her, Brackenpaw shifted his paws.

"Really?" Ravenpaw frowned. "What stream?" He began to make his way back to the apprentices' den, Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw falling into step beside him.

"The one by the training hollow." Cinderpaw looked up at him, and Ravenpaw realized that something about her gaze was off. Brackenpaw was resolutely silent.

"But..." Ravenpaw blinked thoughtfully. Hadn't he passed by that way earlier? "That stream hasn't frozen over yet."

Cinderpaw's eyes widened for a heartbeat and then regained their normal innocent look. "It must have been a different stream then." She sprang the last few bounds to the apprentices' den, while Brackenpaw broke off from the group in the direction of the fresh-kill pile.

Cinderpaw still hadn't gone inside the apprentices' den yet, and Ravenpaw quickened his pawsteps to catch up. "What happened?" he questioned her, his eyes narrowed.

"What I said," Cinderpaw replied innocently, and padded into the den. Ravenpaw twitched his ears; there was something fishy going on.

Shrugging, he squeezed through the entrance after her. He was too exhausted to question her further, and curled up in his nest. However secretive Cinderpaw was being, Ravenpaw figured that what really happened was hardly likely to be some life changing mystery. Perhaps he'd ask Graystripe sometime; surely his friend would tell him the truth.


	11. Chapter 10

Ravenpaw woke up to a pair of blue eyes staring at him. "Wake up, Ravenpaw," Cinderpaw chirruped. "It's time for training."

Groaning, Ravenpaw heaved himself to his paws. "Already?"

"Yep," Cinderpaw replied. Unsurprisingly, she was wide awake. She watched him as he stretched his legs. "Guess what?"

Ravenpaw rubbed his eyes groggily. "What?"

"We get to go hunting together today!" Cinderpaw must have noticed his confusion, and she continued on, her tail flicking. "Bluestar suggested that you come with me and Dustpelt and Runningwind, since you can't leave the camp alone."

Ravenpaw blinked. It was a mixed blessing; on one paw he didn't have to talk to Tigerclaw, but on the other he would have to go on a hunting patrol with his brother. Would Dustpelt try to train him? He certainly hoped not, although it seemed like something Dustpelt might do as a way to mock him. Ravenpaw remembered the patrols he had taken with Dustpelt early on in his apprenticeship; hopefully his littermate wouldn't try to startle him like he had back then.

Cinderpaw bounced out of the den, her tail waving, while Ravenpaw followed her at a distance. Sandpaw and Swiftpaw were still fast asleep. He looked at them enviously before joining the patrol. After several nights of poor sleep he wished he didn't need to be awake at the crack of dawn.

Tigerclaw was nowhere to be found, and Ravenpaw wondered if he was leading one of the daily patrols to search for Darkstripe; that would certainly explain why he hadn't even tried to train Ravenpaw by himself lately. He was probably distracted.

Dustpelt was waiting beside Runningwind by the camp entrance. His tail tip jerked back and forth impatiently as Ravenpaw approached. "Let's get going then." He turned and began the walk out of camp without checking to see if the apprentices were following.

Runningwind bounded ahead, and Ravenpaw reflected that there was a reason for his name; Runningwind was probably the fastest cat in ThunderClan. He was waiting patiently for the group to catch up at the sandy hollow, and as soon as they did looked like he wanted to run off again.

"I was thinking we could show them some advanced prey stalking techniques," Dustpelt mewed as the patrol skirted the training hollow. Runningwind nodded, his paws skimming the ground in a blur.

Sighing, Cinderpaw tilted her head. "Are we _ever_ going to learn tree climbing?"

"Some other day." Dustpelt narrowed his eyes in warning; Ravenpaw guessed she asked that a lot. "Right now we're going to practice hunting." Cinderpaw fell silent and lowered her gaze, but her eyes still glimmered with enthusiasm. "Pretend that leaf is a mouse. Show me how you'd stalk it."

"First I'd crouch like this." Cinderpaw flattened herself against the ground. "Then I'd stalk it." She trotted toward the leaf. Ravenpaw's whiskers twitched. The small apprentice's pawsteps were too loud and sudden.

"No, like this. See," Dustpelt mewed, lowering himself so that his belly fur brushed the ground. "Be light on your paws; a mouse will feel your pawsteps through the ground if you stomp around like that."

Cinderpaw copied his crouch. "Is this right?"

Dustpelt nodded, ears flicking. Tasting the air, Ravenpaw turned his attention to where Dustpelt was looking. The brown tabby warrior pointed toward the mouse with his nose, inviting Cinderpaw to try and make the catch.

Cinderpaw's focus immediately snapped to the prey. She crept forward, placing one paw in front of the other as though she was balancing on a thin log. When she got close enough she leaped, made the killing bite, and raced back to Dustpelt and Ravenpaw, her tail held high. "Did you see that?"

"Good catch, Cinderpaw," Ravenpaw mewed, his fur prickling with jealousy. When he had been Cinderpaw's age, it had been rare for him to make such a swift and easy kill.

"You've taught her well," Runningwind mewed to Dustpelt, looking impressed.

Flicking his ear in thanks, Dustpelt twitched his tail. "Let's bury it and find some more."

Covering the mouse in a layer of earth and frost coated leaves, Cinderpaw's eyes glimmered with pride. She got up, shaking the mulch from her paws. "Where to next?"

Dustpelt jerked his head at a space between to trees. Ravenpaw and Cinderpaw trotted behind him, with Runningwind in the back. A flicker of movement caught Ravenpaw's attention; another mouse was near.

Dustpelt noticed it too. "Your turn, Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw's heart sank. This was just what he needed, the chance to humiliate himself in front of his brother and a young apprentice. Hopefully he could catch it like Cinderpaw had just done with her mouse; he was many moons more experienced than the younger apprentice.

The mouse's gaze met his before it darted off, and Ravenpaw hurled himself after it. It was halfway inside its tiny burrow when Ravenpaw managed to hook it with a claw and pull it back out. Its alarmed squeak rang out, but was cut off when Ravenpaw made the killing bite.

"Wow, good catch," Cinderpaw piped up. Ravenpaw bowed his head, knowing that she didn't realize the sloppiness of his technique. He shouldn't have let it get so far away in the first place.

Dustpelt got up. "We'll have to try somewhere else now." Ravenpaw could feel his brother's judgmental gaze, but for once he didn't say anything. _He must pity me for having such poor hunting skills._ "Come on, let's go."

Runningwind blinked encouragingly at him, but Ravenpaw avoided his gaze.

Dustpelt led them away, closer to the Twolegplace. Runningwind made the next catch, this time a wood pigeon. As the swift tabby buried his prey, Dustpelt stiffened. "I'll get it." Dustpelt loped away, following a scent trail that Ravenpaw hadn't noticed.

"Look, a blackbird." Cinderpaw pointed with her tail toward one of the higher branches in a tall oak tree. Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes, spotting its dark feathers sticking out against the pale gray sky. If he managed to scale the tree without gaining the bird's notice, he knew he could make the catch.

Runningwind sat at the base of the tree, his ears pricked. "Go ahead," he meowed, seeing Ravenpaw's inquiring look. "I'd rather keep my paws on the ground."

Feeling a burst of something akin to joy in his chest, Ravenpaw stealthily ascended the tree, and the feeling expanded from his ears to tail-tip as the forest opened up below him. He could see all the details in his surroundings now, from the tangle of leafless oak and birch trees spread out all around him, to the vast expanse of gray clouds above his head, to the small blackbird pecking away at a sheltered spot in the tree, completely unaware of his presence.

He crept closer, taking care to keep his claws sheathed; he didn't want the blackbird to hear claws scratching the bark. The bird was tail-lengths away now, still oblivious to the fact that a small black cat was hidden in the shadows.

Ravenpaw was so close he could almost taste it. He bunched his muscles to spring and-

A harsh scraping noise screeched through the air. Ravenpaw swung his head around. A small gray cat peered upward at him through the trees, and didn't seem to notice when the blackbird squawked and fluttered away. She slowly scaled the tree, branch by branch, until she was a few fox-lengths below Ravenpaw. "I can help," she mouthed.

"It already flew off." Ravenpaw blinked, pointing out the distant shape of the bird in the pale gray sky with his tail. "Your climbing scared it."

"Oh, sorry." Cinderpaw shuffled her paws. "I didn't know it would be so loud." Ravenpaw sighed. It was difficult to be angry with the small gray apprentice.

"Does Dustpelt know you're up here?" he asked.

Cinderpaw didn't seem to hear him as she leaped to a lower branch. She didn't seem like she was getting down though, just seeing if she could make the jump. The branch lurched, but Cinderpaw clung to it, not seeming afraid of the fact that she was a very long way from the ground.

"Wait, Cinderpaw!" The gray apprentice glanced up at him. "Always know where you're putting your paws," Ravenpaw told her. "Make sure the branch you're trying to reach will hold your weight."

"Like this?" She pushed off the branch she was resting on with a strong kick of her hind paws and scrabbled upward onto a slightly higher branch.

"Yes, just be careful- take it slow at first." Ravenpaw hadn't even finished his sentence before Cinderpaw leaped again, and she landed halfway between her starting point and Ravenpaw's branch.

Ravenpaw watched with growing nervousness as she climbed higher. She jumped once, and then again. "This is great!" She scrambled up the rough surface of another branch, digging in with her still kit-sharp claws. "I see why cats like climbing so much!"

Ravenpaw reflected that she was a natural; he couldn't imagine being so undaunted on his first time tree climbing. But he couldn't help but feel that allowing Cinderpaw this high up a tree was terribly dangerous. "Maybe we should head down..."

"Watch this!" Cinderpaw hurled herself through the air, traversing a series of nearby branches in long strides, as though she was running along the ground.

"Be careful..."

Ravenpaw's warning went unheeded. Cinderpaw was still springing between the branches, and Ravenpaw was growing even more concerned. She bounded past him. "Race you to the other side!"

"It's okay," Ravenpaw called. "I don't want to race."

"Come on, Ravenpaw! It'll be fun."

"Why don't we move down a few fox-lengths first?" Ravenpaw implored her.

"Fine," Cinderpaw replied brightly, slithering down to a slightly lower branch. "Ready?"

"I don't think..."

"Go!" Cinderpaw began to bound across the twisting assortment of branches, her paws barely touching their slippery surface.

Ignoring his sense of self-preservation, Ravenpaw began to dart across the branches. "Wait, Cinderpaw! Why don't we just climb down-"

"Come on, slow-paws! I'm going to beat you if you don't hurry up!" Cinderpaw yowled back over her shoulder.

"It's okay, really." Ravenpaw hurried through the barren canopy, his claws scraping against the bark as he frantically tailed Cinderpaw. "You win!" The apprentice had no experience climbing trees this high; if she wasn't careful, she was going to fall.

But Cinderpaw didn't stop. Still sprinting, Ravenpaw found himself on a branch a fox-length away from Cinderpaw. "Bet I can make this jump!" she called back. Without hesitation, Cinderpaw hurled herself into the air.

Ravenpaw didn't have time to think; the wind shifted the branch she was aiming for out of reach. He shot across the gap and managed to snap his jaws shut around her scruff before she plunged to the ground. They were at the outside of the layer of branches now, and Ravenpaw could see Runningwind's eyes widen at the sudden appearance of himself and Cinderpaw. Burying his claws into the bark, Ravenpaw shifted his weight around, regaining his balance.

At that exact moment, Dustpelt trotted up to the base of the tree with a squirrel in his jaws, and rolling his eyes at the sight of his apprentice dangling helplessly, dropped it to the ground. "See, Cinderpaw, this is why I won't teach you climbing. You have no sense of caution."

After carefully adjusting his grip on her scruff, Ravenpaw leaned back and hauled Cinderpaw back up. As soon as she was high enough, the she-cat dug her claws into the tree bark and pulled herself onto the safety of the branch, and when she turned to Ravenpaw she didn't seem as fazed as he had expected. "Thanks, Ravenpaw."

"Get down here, now," Dustpelt ordered.

The gray she-cat descended the tree in long, careful leaps, and Ravenpaw made his way down behind her, ready to catch her if she fell again. When Cinderpaw reached the ground, she shook out her fur and gave Dustpelt a thrilled look. "You didn't see how well I was doing before you got here. I was running so fast!"

"You know how I knew you were up there?" Dustpelt growled. "I heard your claws scraping against the bark. There's more to hunting in trees than being quick." He hissed wordlessly, lashing his tail. "Why were you even up there to begin with?"

Cinderpaw scuffed her paws against the grassy forest floor. "Ravenpaw was hunting a blackbird. I wanted to help." Ravenpaw wondered if Dustpelt was going to question him, but his brother only shook his head to himself.

Turning to leave, Dustpelt snorted. "Come on. Let's keep going." He swung his head around to his apprentice. "And can you at least _try_ to think before you act? One of these days you're going to get yourself seriously injured."


	12. Chapter 11

The rest of their hunting trip didn't go as poorly as Ravenpaw had anticipated. He somehow caught two more mice and a shrew, while Cinderpaw managed to catch a finch. Dustpelt had been pleased with that one; apparently it was the first time Cinderpaw had gotten the chance to try out her bird stalking crouch. All things considered, Cinderpaw did well and seemed completely unbothered by her near miss in the tree; somehow nearly falling to her death had increased her interest in tree climbing, which baffled Ravenpaw.

It was getting dark when Dustpelt suggested they head back. "It's getting late," he meowed, raising his head to the sky. Sunset was still a while away but storm clouds were building. "We should pick up our prey."

Ravenpaw nodded. "Yeah we should go-" He stopped. In the distance, a huge brown feathered shape was moving behind the screen of undergrowth and trees.

"What?" Dustpelt mouthed.

Ravenpaw angled his ears toward the pheasant, and saw Dustpelt's eyes widen. He could understand his brother's shock; a bird of that size would feed half the Clan. Waving his tail, Dustpelt skirted the trees in a wide path around it. Cinderpaw watched them curiously as they went, apparently realizing that she was too small to help.

Ravenpaw shifted a few pawsteps to the right, trying to get into position. Runningwind did the same to the left. When Dustpelt nodded, he was ready. He raced toward it at a sprint, not bothering to keep quiet; the pheasant would be driven right up to Dustpelt.

Sure enough, the pheasant let out an alarm call and began to beat its wings to escape from Ravenpaw, gliding straight into Dustpelt, who leaped toward it and leaned in to give it a killing bite.

But Dustpelt was a heartbeat too slow and the bird flapped away before he could close his jaws. "No!"

The pheasant made it a fox-length off the ground before Runningwind dashed up, tackling the frantically squawking bird. Ravenpaw hurtled after him and pounced, adding his weight to the joint effort to pin it down. Finally Dustpelt raced up, snapping the pheasant's neck with a strong bite after a brief struggle. "There," he breathed, letting it fall to the ground. "Great StarClan, that was tough." Ravenpaw let out a sigh of relief as well. Even outnumbered, a pheasant could cause serious injury to cat; they were lucky it hadn't thought of using its talons.

Cinderpaw's eyes were wide with awe. "What _is_ that?"

"A pheasant," Runningwind told her. "Well done, everyone; that was fantastic. Haven't seen one of those in seasons. I can't wait to see the Clan's reaction when we bring this back."

"Speaking of which," Dustpelt meowed, whiskers twitching, "we _really_ should head back now. If we catch much more we won't be able to carry it all."

* * *

They returned to camp, their jaws heavy with prey. Dustpelt was able to manage the pheasant by himself, but that left Ravenpaw, Cinderpaw, and Runningwind to carry the smaller pieces of prey themselves. Cats murmured appreciatively as they saw the amount of fresh-kill the patrol was carrying.

"Great StarClan, where did you hunt to get all that at once?" Mousefur mewed, padding up alongside Willowpelt.

"By Tallpines," Dustpelt answered.

"I always forget how big those are." Mousefur pointed at the pheasant with her tail. "That's a young one, and it'll feed half the Clan."

The queens had heard the commotion and padded out to join the other cats. One of Frostfur's youngest litter poked her head out from beside the white queen. "What is that?" she mewed, narrowing her eyes at the large bird.

"It's a pheasant. They're very big and very hard to catch," Frostfur explained. "Well done to whoever caught that." Patchpelt nodded his agreement beside her.

"It was a joint effort," Runningwind meowed. Ravenpaw dipped his head, feeling a burst of pride when his Clanmates meowed approvingly.

Dustpelt nodded. "The queens and elders can share it," he suggested. "It'll be plenty."

"You don't want a taste first?" Patchpelt meowed.

Dustpelt shook his head. "I'm sure there will be some leftover. Go ahead, take it."

Ravenpaw was content to listen to the grateful mews of his Clanmates as Patchpelt carried the pheasant to a sheltered spot by the nursery. Their hunting trip had gone extremely well, and Ravenpaw was glad that his Clan would get in a good meal before leaf-bare arrived. It would be moons before the whole Clan was full-fed again.

His heart fell when Tigerclaw padded up. "So I hear you've been hunting."

Before Ravenpaw could reply, Cinderpaw stepped between them. "Yes, he was," she mewed, staring up at the dark tabby deputy. "Ravenpaw's a great hunter! He helped catch the pheasant!"

"Did he now?" Tigerclaw growled, his eyes narrowing as he turned to look at Dustpelt. "You were heading the patrol. What did you think of my apprentice's performance?" Ravenpaw frowned. He should have expected Tigerclaw to try to get a mocking remark out of Dustpelt.

Dustpelt flicked his tail. "He stumbled a few times, but still managed to make the catch. He could use some work on maintaining the balance of his crouches." Ravenpaw flicked his tail awkwardly. It was disconcerting to hear his littermate evaluating his warrior skills like he wasn't there.

"If only you hunted so well more than one day every three moons, maybe you'd be a warrior by now," Tigerclaw growled, narrowing his eyes cruelly. "But perhaps it's not meant to be..."

Ravenpaw felt terror squeeze his heart like claws at his mentor's veiled threat. Was Tigerclaw suggesting that Ravenpaw wasn't meant to be a warrior because he'd be dead? Ravenpaw imagined Tigerclaw walking into camp one day and solemnly explaining how his apprentice had died in a tragic accident. Was Tigerclaw really so confident that the Clan would believe him?

_Of course he is,_ Ravenpaw thought. _No cat has ever questioned him._

The sounds of the rest of the cats talking about the pheasant faded into the background. Avoiding his mentor's gaze, Ravenpaw began to walk away, hoping that Tigerclaw would give up in his attempts to intimidate him. "Not so fast." Tigerclaw's voice sent a prickle of fear down Ravenpaw's spine. "Come on. We're going hunting." Tigerclaw beckoned him with his tail, and Ravenpaw had no choice but to follow.

"But he already trained today!" Cinderpaw protested. "That's not fair!"

Tigerclaw snorted and acted as though Cinderpaw hadn't said anything. "Let's go then." He spun around, beckoning Ravenpaw to follow with his tail.

Ducking his head miserably, Ravenpaw padded after his mentor. Cinderpaw's interference wasn't helping things. Tigerclaw's tail gave a sudden irritated swish; he clearly noticed the young gray apprentice following him.

"Who else is going with you?" Cinderpaw asked, either oblivious or uncaring about Tigerclaw's anger.

Tigerclaw curled his lip. "I think I can keep my own apprentice safe a few tree-lengths outside the camp."

"But Bluestar said Ravenpaw needs to have two warriors with him when he leaves the camp..." Cinderpaw trailed off when Tigerclaw gave her a sharp glare, but continued to boldly meet his gaze.

Dustpelt gave his apprentice a sharp warning look. "Darkstripe is hardly going to show up so close to the camp when he knows what's coming to him if our warriors find him."

Tigerclaw turned to Cinderpaw, his muzzle showing the smallest trace of a snarl. "Don't stick your nose in matters that don't concern you." Whipping around, Tigerclaw stalked off, motioning for Ravenpaw to follow with a subtle jerk of his head. Tail hanging low, Ravenpaw padded after him, following him past his Clanmates and through the gorse tunnel. Every one of his senses was on alert, and he scanned the forest around him as Tigerclaw led him up the ravine.

They were still close to camp, but far enough that the scents of the forest hung in the air, overwhelming any cat scent. A grassy smell drifted through the breeze, and Ravenpaw recognized it as one of the herbs Yellowfang had used for the elders' aching joints. There was a stale tang of badger in the air as well. It was an old scent; Ravenpaw guessed the badger had been here three or four days ago.

Ravenpaw's muscles were tight with fear. In spite of his dread, he tried to reason with himself. There was no way Tigerclaw would kill him now, not when he had so openly forced Ravenpaw to hunt against his wishes in front of the whole of ThunderClan. He wondered what his Clanmates thought of Tigerclaw's blatant disregard to Bluestar's order to keep Ravenpaw safe by having an additional warrior around outside the camp, but then again, with most cats it seemed as though they had a blind spot where Tigerclaw was concerned. They clearly trusted their deputy's judgement, and probably thought it would be a simple hunting trip within view of the camp. No reason for concern, and no reason to bring another cat for such a short walk if they were within yowling distance.

Pelt prickling, Ravenpaw cautiously observed his surroundings. They weren't far from camp, just a few tree-lengths from the edge of the ravine, but...

Tigerclaw kept glancing over his shoulder. He sniffed the air, and in Ravenpaw's head, the fleeting thought that Tigerclaw might be making sure no other cats were around to see him murder his apprentice crossed his mind.

Abruptly Tigerclaw stopped. He turned around and faced Ravenpaw.

Ice cold terror pounded though him from ears to tail tip. He had to get away. Tigerclaw was going to kill him. As the dark brown tabby took a step forward, Ravenpaw bolted.

"Where are you going?! Get back here!" Tigerclaw's voice boomed in Ravenpaw's ears, but he ignored it. He ran. He was only aware of the crisp leaves crunching beneath his paws, and the icy cold prickles jabbing his fur as he raced through the undergrowth.

It took just a few moments before the outline of the camp appeared in front of him, and Ravenpaw bounded down the steep slope without any of his usual caution. When he reached the gorse tunnel, a dark gray shape appeared in front of him, and he skidded to a stop before he collided with it. It was Graystripe. "Ravenpaw? What are you doing?"

Panting, Ravenpaw looked around wildly. "Um... nothing. Just returning to camp. I thought Tigerclaw was right behind me." Broken from his terrified trance, he wondered what Tigerclaw would do to him now. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good. He had never run away from a training session before. Ravenpaw was second guessing himself now; what if he had overreacted?

"Oh, all right." Graystripe pushed himself against the side of the tunnel. "Go on ahead. I was just going hunting."

Heart sinking even as his panic subsided, Ravenpaw slid around Graystripe and into the camp. He had thought that his friend had been returning to camp, not leaving it, and he had been about to ask him to share a meal like they had in their apprentice days. They still had not gone through with their hunting trip yet, and Ravenpaw was starting to miss Graystripe's presence in his everyday life.

He turned to call after Graystripe, but the gray warrior was already long gone. Ravenpaw shook himself. Perhaps Graystripe wanted to hunt by himself; he hadn't taken Brackenpaw along with him.

Ravenpaw wasn't five pawsteps inside the camp before Tigerclaw burst through the tunnel. "Why did you run off, you fool? How many times do we have to go over this?" Cats looked up from their meals in surprise at the furious snarl.

"I..." Thinking fast, Ravenpaw took a breath. Most of the Clan was staring. "I thought I smelled a badger." It had been true, Ravenpaw figured, although it was definitely faded.

Tigerclaw snorted.

"Really?" Whitestorm meowed, padding forward. Willowpelt, Mousefur, and Runningwind headed over to see what was going on as the rest of the Clan watched. "If you scented it in the ravine, we need to send a patrol to investigate."

Rolling his eyes, Tigerclaw lashed his tail. "I smelled it too. It's stale and its scent was carried in the wind. The badger was never in the ravine."

"Hmmm." Whitestorm frowned. "If you want to take a look again I would be happy to accompany you."

Tigerclaw shook his head. "There is no need. The badger is long gone; it won't cause any problems-" his voice became a low growl that only Ravenpaw could hear. "-for now." The dark tabby gave Ravenpaw a pointed glance.

Tail bristling, he hurried away before Tigerclaw could order him out again. Ravenpaw hid in the apprentices' den and watched his Clanmates through the entrance hole. The curious mewing from when he entered the camp had died down. Tigerclaw loped alongside Whitestorm, bade him farewell, and sat down next to Longtail and Dustpelt.

_Are they talking about me?_ Ravenpaw wondered, peering out at the three warriors. He doubted it; Dustpelt looked much too comfortable. Surely he wouldn't let his Clanmates badmouth his littermate unchecked? They had to be talking about something else, Ravenpaw figured. He wondered if any cat had asked why Tigerclaw had taken his apprentice out without another warrior in direct violation of Bluestar's orders, but if they did Ravenpaw didn't notice.

Occasionally Tigerclaw looked past the two younger cats and glared at Ravenpaw. With more cats returning to camp as the sky turned dark gray, it looked as though the dark brown tabby warrior was going to forgo Ravenpaw's 'lesson', but he couldn't be sure, so he settled himself deeper into his nest and closed his eyes so any cat who saw him would think he was sleeping.

As the sun slipped downward behind the clouds, Ravenpaw was still feeling weighed down with anxiety.

Tigerclaw was still shooting harsh looks at him, and Ravenpaw was finding him more and more difficult to ignore. _How much longer can I live like this?_

A sharp mew broke through his worried stream of thought. "Great StarClan, you look like you fell backwards through a bramble thicket." Sandpaw ducked into the apprentices' den and gave him an uncharacteristic concerned look. "Did you eat a bad mouse or something?"

Shrugging, Ravenpaw shook his head. "I'm just tired." His day had started off so well before Tigerclaw had tried to take him hunting. Ravenpaw couldn't shake the single terrifying thought out of his head- whatever reason Tigerclaw had for taking him out of camp today, he had meant for him to die.


	13. Chapter 12

The next morning when Ravenpaw woke up, his belly was rumbling. He had barely eaten anything the previous day after losing his appetite from mulling about Tigerclaw.

Stumbling to his paws, Ravenpaw cursed his worrying. It had taken him most of the night to fall asleep, and judging from the chill in the air he could tell his denmates had already left their nests long ago. It was long past sunrise. Tigerclaw was going to be furious.

Ravenpaw quickly padded into the main clearing, hoping he could find something to eat before Tigerclaw forced him out of the camp. If he didn't he knew he wouldn't have the energy to train at all.

His mind brought him back to the previous day. Tigerclaw had taken him out of camp alone, ignoring Bluestar's order of having two warriors with Ravenpaw when he was in the forest, and no cat had batted an eye apart from Cinderpaw. Ravenpaw shivered. What had Tigerclaw been trying to accomplish, and what if he tried to get him alone again?

The fresh-kill pile was well stocked, and Ravenpaw quickly picked a mouse to eat. As Ravenpaw padded back to the apprentices' pelt twitched; he could sense that a cat was watching him. _Tigerclaw._ He spun around, and his prey fell from his jaws with a dull thud.

"There you are." Tigerclaw loped up, a cruel gleam in his eyes. "Thought you'd sleep the whole day away?"

"My belly hurts," Ravenpaw meowed, deciding to feign sickness. "I don't... I don't think I can patrol today."

"Really? So you've decided to cure your bellyache with a meal?" As Tigerclaw loomed above, Ravenpaw tried to press himself against the ground. He knew he was caught. In this case he _was_ breaking the rules by taking prey before he'd provided for the Clan, but he had barely managed a few mouthfuls of shrew yesterday, and there were still leftovers from his hunting patrol that would go to waste soon. "Prey certainly won't help," Tigerclaw continued, ignoring the rule breaking to Ravenpaw's complete surprise. His gaze flicked from the mouse to Ravenpaw. "Take that to the elders. Then we'll go for a walk. I could do with some hunting practice."

_Hunting practice?!_ Ravenpaw's insides were shrieking in alarm; something about the way Tigerclaw was speaking was innately terrifying, as though he meant that Ravenpaw, not a prey animal, was going to be hunted. Tigerclaw was going to try to take him out alone, Ravenpaw was sure of it. Somehow he knew instinctively that he needed to avoid patrolling with his mentor at all costs. "I- really- I can't." Ravenpaw took a shaky breath. "My belly hurts-"

Tigerclaw curled his lip. "Trying to avoid training, are you? A true warrior works through their pain! They certainly don't whine about it!"

Just then Yellowfang appeared from the medicine den. "Not so fast, Tigerclaw. Illness needs to be taken seriously, especially in the season of leaf-bare."

Tigerclaw snorted, while his claws sank into the cold wet ground. Then he swung around and loped away, glaring at Ravenpaw as he went. "Don't think you can avoid me forever," he hissed as he slid past.

Ravenpaw huddled there, trembling, as Tigerclaw's dark figure grew more distant. The dark tabby dipped his head to Whitestorm and Willowpelt, and the two warriors nodded respectfully in return. No cat suspected anything was amiss.

Ravenpaw didn't notice Yellowfang addressing him until she raised her voice to a yowl. "Ravenpaw! Did you suddenly lose your hearing? Follow me; I'll get you some herbs for your bellyache." Her orange eyes narrowed. "That is, if you actually need them."

Ravenpaw ducked his head under Yellowfang's penetrating gaze. "I think I'll be fine. I could just rest."

"Then you should do that." Yellowfang continued to stare at him. He darted off, trying to ignore the intimidating medicine cat, before he remembered that he was supposed to be ill and slowed to attempt a limp. Then he remembered his mouse.

Wincing at his lack of forethought, Ravenpaw looked over his shoulder. Yellowfang gave a skeptical ear flick, and padded back into her den. He sighed, slowly heading back to retrieve his meal. It was obvious that Yellowfang knew that something was wrong, but Ravenpaw knew that she would never guess what it was.

After returning to the apprentices' den Ravenpaw slowly ate the mouse. It was delicious and the taste distracted him for a short while, but when he was finished his belly still felt empty. He didn't know if it was because he was anxious or still hungry.

Storm clouds began to gather in the sky and a gusting wind rustled the trees. Longtail, Runningwind, and Sandpaw entered the camp and Ravenpaw pricked his ears to hear snippets of their mews.

"Near the Thunderpath-"

"No sign any further-"

"-scent was stale. Maybe he's not coming back-"

Ravenpaw turned away, strangely unbothered. They were clearly searching for Darkstripe, and once again it was apparent that finding the dark tom wasn't going to be as easy as sending out patrols. Ravenpaw wondered what Tigerclaw would think when he found out Darkstripe still hadn't been found, and his paws trembled at the memory of his mentor's easy manipulation of the Clan shortly after Darkstripe's first attack. While Darkstripe was the only cat who had ever tried to kill Ravenpaw, it was all the more terrifying knowing that Tigerclaw had been the one who had ordered him to do it. _Tigerclaw started all of this._

Closing his eyes, Ravenpaw remembered the battle in which Redtail had died with vivid clarity. The terrible scene came back to him like it had in his dreams so many times before. Tigerclaw's voice echoed in his ears, yowling at him to return to camp, and then Ravenpaw was running. A short way into the forest, he skidded to a halt and shot back in the direction from which he came. What would have happened if instead of turning around he had just kept running, never learning the terrible truth of Tigerclaw's crime?

Ravenpaw saw Sunningrocks as they loomed above him in his mind's eye. He remembered how bright the sunlight had been, shining against the smooth rocks. There had been dust scattered in the air from the rockfall. And Ravenpaw remembered how Tigerclaw had hid in the shadows at the edge of the forest, how he had stealthily crept up on the former deputy, and how he had buried his teeth into the tortoiseshell's neck without a single heartbeat of hesitation or sign of remorse.

The vibrant hues of his recollection faded back into his memory. Ravenpaw frowned. What had been Tigerclaw's aim in all this; was it simply to become deputy? One thing Ravenpaw was realizing more and more as time went on was that Tigerclaw craved respect, but how far would he truly go? Tigerclaw had either been unwilling or hadn't had the chance to kill Lionheart before the brave golden tabby warrior died, and Ravenpaw wondered if Lionheart had survived the battle with ShadowClan, would he have eventually met the same fate as Redtail?

Ravenpaw rested his head on his paws, deep in thought. Tigerclaw wanted to solidify his place within the Clan, Ravenpaw figured, and now Ravenpaw himself and Darkstripe were the only cats who stood in his way. The dark brown tabby probably wasn't too concerned about Darkstripe since the tom was in exile, but Ravenpaw...

He realized with a pang of fear that Tigerclaw wouldn't stop until he had achieved his goal. But how could he stop him? Was it even possible? Pretending he didn't remember hadn't helped. Telling Dustpelt had done nothing. If things continued the way there were right now he would die. Then he realized- there was one cat who had the power to stop Tigerclaw in his tracks. _I have to tell her,_ Ravenpaw thought, his heart beating rapidly. _I have to tell Bluestar._

He should have told her in the first place, or the time Bluestar had talked to him after they had returned from chasing Brokenstar out of ShadowClan. She had seemed so concerned about him then. Ravenpaw felt the unusual urge to growl at the memory. He had been given a clear opportunity to tell her about Redtail's murder, and he'd wasted it out of fear.

A lump rose in his throat. He couldn't afford to be afraid now.

He wished he could go back in time to his wild escape from Sunningrocks after he had witnessed Tigerclaw's crime all those moons ago. What would have changed if instead of returning from the battle in a panic, he had burst through the camp wall and yowled to the sky that Tigerclaw had killed Redtail. _Perhaps it wouldn't have changed anything,_ Ravenpaw mused. _Perhaps Tigerclaw would have convinced them that I was lying or that I didn't understand what I was seeing._ But now he would never know. Regret pulsed through Ravenpaw's pelt, threatening to overwhelm him.

It had been two full seasons since Redtail's death. What if Bluestar didn't believe him? Ravenpaw cursed his own uncertainty. He was in mortal danger every time he left the camp with Tigerclaw as his mentor.

He felt as though he was being tugged in multiple directions at once. Shuddering, he slithered out of the apprentices' den, nearly tripping over his quaking paws.

Ravenpaw looked around, hoping to see his leader's familiar blue-gray pelt before he lost his courage. He caught a glimpse of Bluestar by the nursery. She was talking to Brindleface, and their mews were calm and friendly. Before he could change his mind, Ravenpaw charged forward to stand in front of his leader. Both Bluestar and Brindleface fell silent when he stood in front of them.

"Bluestar, I..." Ravenpaw swallowed, trying to regain control of his meow. "May I speak with you?"

For a fleeting moment he thought Bluestar was going to refuse before she flicked her tail in agreement. "Of course. Let's go to my den. It is good to hear that your kits are growing well, Brindleface," she added to the pale queen before she stood up.

Bluestar led Ravenpaw across the camp. _What am I doing?_ He was tempted to just bolt off. Perhaps he could just think of something else important to bring up.

_No,_ Ravenpaw told himself. _She'll believe you, she has to._ He repeated the words over and over in his head as he focused on Bluestar's tail tip to maintain his sense of direction. To Ravenpaw the journey felt like it had taken all day, not a few moments.

He hesitated at the threshold of the den after Bluestar slipped inside.

"Ravenpaw, come in." Giving his chest a quick lick in a vain attempt to quell his rising anxiety, Ravenpaw nosed his way through the lichen. He had to tell Bluestar the truth, once and for all.


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I enjoyed reading your predictions and speculations on what is about to go down in this chapter. Well, here it is. I've been looking forward to posting these next few chapters since I started writing this, so I hope you enjoy. Thanks for all the support everyone.

Ravenpaw sat as rigid as a rock apart from his fluttering tail-tip. This was it. He would tell Bluestar everything, and then maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.

"Ravenpaw." Bluestar dipped her head warmly. "What is it you wanted to speak to me about?" The pleasantness in her mew made Ravenpaw nervous; Bluestar had absolutely no idea of what he was about to say.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Bluestar watched him, her gaze turning serious as she seemed to notice his discomfort. "What is it?" she asked again.

Ravenpaw took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something." Bluestar tilted her head, frowning. Ravenpaw inhaled again. "It's about Redtail."

Clearly surprised, Bluestar flicked her ears. "What about him?"

Ravenpaw looked over his shoulder to check that they weren't being overheard. "At the battle of Sunningrocks when he died," he meowed, "I saw who did it."

Bluestar began to shake her head slowly before Ravenpaw could say anymore. "Ravenpaw," she began gently. "You don't blame yourself for his death, do you? Because if you believe that you are responsible that is certainly not the case. You were a young apprentice then; it was your first battle. His death was not in any way your fault-"

"That's not it," Ravenpaw whispered, lowering his gaze. Bluestar frowned, waiting for him to continue. "After Tigerclaw sent me from the battle, I was running back to camp but I turned around- I wanted to check that Redtail was alright. I went back to the battle, and- and I- I saw who killed him." He swallowed thickly. "It was-" The name died in his throat.

Bluestar was looking more concerned than he'd ever seen her. He couldn't turn back now.

"Tigerclaw. T-Tigerclaw killed Redtail."

He crouched down to prevent himself from toppling over. It was as though a great chasm had opened underneath him, and Ravenpaw felt like he was falling. Eyes wide, Bluestar watched him. "You saw them," she mewed after a long silence. "From how far away?"

Ravenpaw shivered, trying to remember. "A few fox-lengths... no, closer to a tree-length I think..." He glanced up at Bluestar, whose expression he couldn't read. "Or, well..." How close had he been? Everything had seemed so clear to him. "It was close enough to see what happened." He shut his eyes, trying to block out the image of Tigerclaw sinking his teeth into Redtail's neck. "It was at the end of the fight; the RiverClan cats were running away..." Ravenpaw's heart sank at Bluestar's pitying eyes. She was supposed to believe him!

"Ravenpaw," she began, her eyes sympathetic. "You've been under a great deal of stress lately, and now hearing about how you perceived the battle, I'm concerned. Why would Tigerclaw do such a thing?"

"I'm not sure." Ravenpaw scuffed his paws against the ground. "He wanted the deputyship, maybe?"

Bluestar sighed, closing her eyes. "Tigerclaw is a brave and loyal warrior. Why would he see the need to kill to gain a higher place within ThunderClan?"

Ravenpaw shuddered, unable to come up with a response. How could he put his fears into words? "I don't know."

"There must be some reason," Bluestar prodded lightly.

"He must have told Darkstripe to kill me! That was his plan because he figured out I saw too much!" he burst out, tail lashing in agitation. "That's why Darkstripe keeps trying to find me; he thinks I schemed with Tigerclaw to backstab him!"

To Ravenpaw's dismay, Bluestar shook her head. "Just because Darkstripe said Tigerclaw told him to attack you doesn't mean it's true. He had just found out for attempted murder; we can't trust his words. He wanted to deflect blame."

Horror washing through his pelt, Ravenpaw stared directly into Bluestar's eyes, trying to convey his truthfulness with his gaze. His chance to save himself was slipping away. "T-Tigerclaw did kill Redtail. He killed him I swear." A whimper rising in his throat, Ravenpaw could no longer meet Bluestar's eyes. "I remember," he finished miserably.

After a long moment, Bluestar broke the silence. "Is it possible that you imagined it?" Her voice was kind, but the words pierced like the sharpest of thorns. "There was a lot going on: many RiverClan warriors, few ThunderClan ones; it would be easy to mistake one cat for another in the heat of battle."

"I- I don't..." Ravenpaw shuffled his paws. "I suppose it's possible," he admitted. He didn't think it was true. But what if-

_No!_ Ravenpaw shook the doubts away. He had considered the possibility that he had imagined Redtail's murder during the days after it happened, and even when he had wanted to push the thoughts out of his brain and forget what he'd seen, Ravenpaw had always known that Tigerclaw was responsible for Redtail's death.

"I saw it..."

"I do believe that's what you think you saw," Bluestar meowed finally. "I see no reason for you to lie to me. Yet there is no proof whatsoever that Tigerclaw did these terrible things, and Redtail died two seasons ago." _She's right. There is no proof._ Ravenpaw felt like yowling his frustration. A niggling twitch prickled the back of his mind. Wasn't there _anything_ he could say that could substantiate his claims?

A rumble of thunder echoed through the air. Closing her eyes, Bluestar turned her head to the sky, as though she was looking for StarClan's guidance through the roof of the den. "You have had a difficult few moons. I should have known something like this was happening." Her head gave a small shake, an unconscious gesture that conveyed the depth of her worry. "It troubles me that you fear your mentor. But know this: I would trust Tigerclaw with my life. And I know Redtail did too."

Ravenpaw nodded dutifully as Bluestar continued. "Focus on your training. If things continue the way they are you'll soon earn your warrior name."

Ravenpaw blinked dully. "Tigerclaw doesn't think I'll ever make warrior."

"Tigerclaw may be strict, but don't mistake his harshness for dislike," Bluestar meowed, her tone brisk. "He is quite pleased with your progress recently. He believes your skills, especially your hunting ones, have developed greatly since the last moon, and I agree with his assessment. With a bit more training, Tigerclaw will be recommending you for a warrior ceremony."

_Tigerclaw._ A crescendo of terror rose up within him. Would Bluestar inform her deputy of his apprentice's accusations? Ravenpaw stiffened. "You won't tell him, will you?"

Bluestar shook her head. "No."

Beginning to make his way out, Ravenpaw was startled by a sharp mew. "Wait, Ravenpaw." Bluestar began to slowly rise to her paws. Ravenpaw blinked; he had never seen her look so old. "I believe I owe you an apology. I chose Tigerclaw as your mentor to bring out your courage and bravery..." She sighed, looking defeated. "I see now that that was a mistake. Your personalities don't mesh well as mentor and apprentice. I had my doubts at first, but I thought you and Tigerclaw could eventually develop a close mentor-apprentice relationship. I realize now that I made the wrong choice." Bluestar twitched her ears. "Perhaps in the next few seasons will be too much to ask, but I hope one day you will be able to look back on your apprenticeship and understand why Tigerclaw mentored you the way he did."

Ravenpaw stared at her, unsure what to say to that. He settled with a small nod, and then stumbled blearily out of the den, barely aware of where he was headed.

Raindrops speckled his fur as he hurried away. Finding himself at the entrance to the apprentices' den, he hesitated. He couldn't face the other apprentices today, and he doubted he could string two sentences together if they asked him what was wrong.

Rain dripped down his whiskers as he lingered on the periphery of the den, half in and half out. He felt as though rocks had settled in his chest, crushing him, suffocating him. He should have known. He should have known Bluestar wouldn't believe him. He should have known that. This couldn't be real. Telling his leader was supposed to help.

He had finally gathered the courage to tell Bluestar, and it hadn't even mattered.

It was a thousand times worse than Dustpelt not believing him. Dustpelt was irrational and probably still shocked at his mentor's betrayal; he had been too close to Darkstripe to think clearly about it, Ravenpaw figured. But Bluestar was wise; she would believe him if he could just explain everything: how Tigerclaw had murdered Redtail, how he had then sent Darkstripe to murder Ravenpaw for knowing too much. It had all made sense to Ravenpaw. He had been sure she would believe him. But she didn't.

He was just an apprentice- just a cowardly, storytelling, ShadowClan territory trespassing, foolish apprentice. Of course Bluestar wouldn't believe _him._ He cursed his own foolishness at thinking that she would.

Ravenpaw shivered. Telling Bluestar had changed nothing, yet somehow it felt as though the forest had shifted. There was nothing else he could do; Tigerclaw could murder him, and no cat would have any idea why he was dead.

_At least that might make Bluestar consider what I told her,_ he thought bitterly.

Rain pattered onto the ground, soaking his paws. His pelt was already dripping wet, but the cold barely registered at the surface of his awareness, as though his senses were muffled by a thick haze.

Yellowfang was watching him; he could feel her eyes boring into his fur. Trying to ignore the old medicine cat, he padded to the fresh-kill pile, picked up a small vole, and carried it back to an overhanging thicket to eat inside. He wasn't sure why he had even taken prey since he wasn't hungry, but he ate the vole like he had so many times before. When he was finished, he barely remembered having eaten, and got up to bury the few bits of leftover fur and bones.

As Ravenpaw made his way back to the apprentices' den, he could see the inside of the warriors' den through the brambles. Cats were lounging in their nests, mewing contentedly, and to Ravenpaw their voices sounded distant, as though they were echoing from the other end of the territory.

The other apprentices were sleeping, but Ravenpaw hesitated instead of entering the den. Cinderpaw looked like she was beginning to stir, and Ravenpaw didn't want to talk.

What could he do? Bluestar didn't believe him, Dustpelt didn't believe him...

Did StarClan even care? He raised his head to his warrior ancestors, getting a face full of rain water in return.

Ducking inside the apprentices' den, he looked up again. The shroud of rain still covered the landscape, the falling drops flattening browned leaves into the muddy ground, but a tiny flash of light from above the treetops caught his attention. There was a tiny gap in the clouds and even through the downpour he could see the flickering starlight. Maybe StarClan did care, but how would he ever know what they wanted?

Ravenpaw blinked, a ridiculous idea flitting into his awareness. What better way to find out what StarClan wanted him to do than to ask them directly? He could visit the Moonstone. _But that's crazy,_ Ravenpaw thought, flipping over to lick the rain water out of his soaked fur. _Bluestar would never agree to let me journey to the Moonstone._

Fluffing out his nest with his paws, Ravenpaw tried to push the idea out of his mind. It was absurd anyway; StarClan spoke to medicine cats, not warrior apprentices. It was ridiculous of him to think Bluestar would put together a patrol of cats just so he could ask StarClan for guidance.

He curled up in his nest, mind whirring. He _could_ go by himself. _No. That would be foolish_.

The more he thought about it though, the more it seemed like a valid possibility. He'd just have to slip out of the camp without being noticed and from there he was sure he could do it. His first trip to Highstones hadn't been long ago; he still remembered the way. If he avoided brushing against the undergrowth and maybe made a detour along the stream, his Clanmates wouldn't be able to track him and stop him before he got there.

Ravenpaw gulped, remembering that WindClan was home now and he would have to avoid them. He was sure he could do it though. And he'd have to avoid the medicine cats as well. They would meet there at the half-moon that was in a few days; if he went through with his plan, he'd need to wait until after the half-moon, or else the medicine cats would pick up his scent trail trespassing on WindClan territory.

An image of a dark gray cat flashed across his mind, and Ravenpaw shuddered. He had almost forgotten about Darkstripe. He'd have to watch out for the dark tom on his journey as well. Shivering not just from the cold, Ravenpaw curled himself even tighter. This plan was looking more and more dangerous the more he thought about it.

_I can do it,_ Ravenpaw told himself, squeezing his eyes shut. _I need to do it._ If telling his leader didn't help, maybe StarClan would tell him what to do.

But he would have to stay safe in the meantime. Ravenpaw decided that he would remain on alert at all times, even in the camp. That was the one thing his meeting with Bluestar had clarified; the only cat who would look out for him was himself.


	15. Chapter 14

Ravenpaw had expected Bluestar to treat him differently, but the only change in her behavior toward him was the occasional concerned look she shot in his direction. She clearly had no idea of the extent of Tigerclaw's abusive training methods, and despite Bluestar's apparent hope that Ravenpaw would understand his mentor someday, he knew he'd _never_ understand why Tigerclaw was so harsh.

Tigerclaw continued to watch him suspiciously, and Ravenpaw couldn't stop himself from trembling when he felt his mentor's gaze on his fur. If Tigerclaw got him alone, he would be in grave danger, he was sure of it. He needed to visit the Moonstone as soon as possible. Ravenpaw was convinced that if he asked his warrior ancestors for help everything would become clear, and he clung to the hope like a dewdrop to a leaf.

It wouldn't be long before he would be able to go; Yellowfang would be returning from her meeting with the other medicine cats soon, and after that he would be able to sneak away to visit the Moonstone without being scented or interrupted. For now though, he tried to distract himself from his terrifying plan by watching the last of the browning leaves fall.

"Hey, Ravenpaw, watch this!" Cinderpaw called out that evening. She got a running start before leaping into the air, snagging a drifting leaf on the way down. "What'd you think?"

"Yes, well done," Ravenpaw meowed. "Did you learn that today?"

"No, yesterday. I went hunting today. Dustpelt taught me this one yesterday too," Cinderpaw meowed. She slid into a crouch and swiftly trotted forward before pouncing on bright orange leaf.

Ravenpaw nodded absently.

Cinderpaw turned to her littermate. "What did you do today, Brackenpaw?"

Brackenpaw shrugged. "Nothing really. Graystripe has been hunting alone all day, so Whitestorm had me clean out the elders' den."

"Too bad," Cinderpaw meowed, batting at a fallen leaf. "Maybe we can train together tomorrow. And Ravenpaw, I can ask if you can join us."

Ravenpaw gave a noncommittal mumble. If he followed through with his plan, he wouldn't be around to train tomorrow.

Tail tip flicking, Cinderpaw's face fell when Ravenpaw didn't respond. "What's the matter?"

Ravenpaw glanced at her in surprise. "Nothing." In reality, earlier that day Tigerclaw and Longtail had taken him on a border patrol that had ended in cruel insults of his stalking abilities. It was nothing compared to how it was when he ended up alone with his mentor. Tigerclaw knew he had to reign in his ridicule when other cats were around. It had still been a stark reminder that he didn't have a single Clanmate he could confide in; no cat would understand Ravenpaw's fear of his mentor or the danger he was in every time he left camp with him. "Really, everything's fine."

"Okay, well hopefully you can show me some hunting moves tomorrow." Fluffing out her fur against a chilly blast of wind, Cinderpaw turned back to her leaf chasing game. "Dustpelt is finally going to teach me how to hunt in trees!"

"That sounds great," Ravenpaw replied weakly. Once again he pushed his doubts away.

* * *

The morning had finally arrived. Ravenpaw nosed his way out of the apprentices' den, taking in the cold, damp air. Dawn was still a ways off even though glow of the sun was just beginning behind dark gray clouds. Stars still flickered in the furthest, blackest reaches of the sky.

The grass glittered with dew as Ravenpaw left the camp. Sniffing the air, he detected Yellowfang's scent nearby. She had returned early in the morning just as he'd expected. He was very thankful Yellowfang wasn't up and about to question him; her gaze always seemed able to peer into his very thoughts and he knew it would be difficult to get out if Yellowfang tried to figure out what he was up to.

He had known he had to leave after when the medicine cats would travel together to the Moonstone, or else they would scent him there, and now that Yellowfang had returned from her visit, Ravenpaw was free to go without danger of crossing paths with them. He still couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

Ravenpaw wasn't three pawsteps outside of the gorse tunnel when a voice startled him. "Where are you going?"

Ears twisting back, Ravenpaw whipped around. Graystripe was staring at him from inside the gorse tunnel, his amber eyes wide. "Um..." He wracked his brain to find some excuse. "Dirtplace."

"Oh okay," Graystripe meowed, somehow convinced in spite of the fact that Ravenpaw had not been padding toward the dirtplace. "See you later, Ravenpaw." With a flick of his tail, Graystripe brushed past him and disappeared into the undergrowth. Ravenpaw wondered why Graystripe would want to hunt so early. Graystripe hadn't been an early riser as an apprentice, and the dawn patrol hadn't even been sent out yet.

Shifting his paws, Ravenpaw wondered if he should just forget about the Moonstone and stay in camp. Graystripe would know that something was wrong the moment he got back and found Ravenpaw absent. Bristling, Ravenpaw began to head up the ravine and past the trees.

He trotted through the familiar paths of the forest, feeling like he was in a dream. He was already going against Bluestar's wishes by leaving the camp alone; he didn't want to think about what her reaction would be when she found out he was leaving the territory.

As he made his way farther and farther away from the camp, a flicker of panic pounded in his chest, like a trapped bird trying to escape. What _would_ Bluestar do once she realized he had left? What if she sent a patrol after him? _Oh StarClan, I'm going to be in so much trouble!_ But he couldn't turn back; he had to do this. His paws shook as he waded along the edge of the stream, and then padded across the other side a few tree-lengths from where he had started. Hopefully that would throw off any cat that tried to follow him.

The trees thinned and he emerged into the Gathering place. He paused, trembling, at the edge of Fourtrees. This was his last chance to change his mind. He gazed up at the open moorland that made up WindClan territory, nearly jumping in surprise when a bird chirruped from one of the Great Oaks.

_StarClan, I hope this is what you want._ Without giving himself a chance to turn back, he padded through the center of the clearing to the WindClan side.

He took one step onto WindClan territory, and then another. With a nervous flick of his tail, he began to follow the path he had taken only a few moons earlier to Highstones.

Making his way along the hillside, his paws began to ache. He was moving at a swift pace, and his breath came out in short gasps. If he was on WindClan's territory too long, they would find him, and he didn't want to think about what would happen if they did. Although ThunderClan and WindClan were on good terms now, a trespassing apprentice might change things.

Ravenpaw pushed the thoughts away; he couldn't spend time worrying; it would distract him from his journey over the unforgiving slopes of WindClan's territory. The ground was rocky and steep, with clumps of tall grass blowing in the wind providing the only source of cover. The scent of rabbit wafted across his scent glands, making Ravenpaw wish he could hunt.

When Ravenpaw passed behind the shadow of a large boulder, a sudden rustling noise made him pause. Was a WindClan patrol nearby? He breathed in the air, detecting nothing.

A booming voice caused Ravenpaw to jump, although he was still hidden. "Who goes there?!"

Ravenpaw flattened himself against the stone, hoping the WindClan cats would walk right past. They must have been downwind, so his scent must have been driven straight to them.

There was a moment of strained silence, apart from the gusting wind. "ThunderClan," a serious voice finally mewed.

"No, it can't be-" The wind was so strong it muffled their mews.

Ravenpaw shot toward the edge of WindClan's hunting grounds, terror pulsing through his paws. He could hear one of the cats calling out to him. "Where are you going?"

"Trespasser!" yowled another.

He tried to swerve between a few large boulders to lose them, but it was no use; the cats were still right on his tail. He knew that he would never be able to outrun a WindClan cat if it came down to a race; he could only hope that he was near the edge of the territory.

Just then he realized that he had crossed the boundary marker. Ravenpaw could hear their voices fading. "Let him go, Mudclaw. He's outside of our territory."

He kept running. He could only guess what would happen to him when he got back; WindClan surely wouldn't let this go unanswered, even with as much as they owed ThunderClan.

He slowed to a trot when the Twoleg nest dotted landscape appeared in front of him. Moving quickly, he passed the Twolegplace and hedgerows, and found himself at the edge of the Thunderpath. Monsters were screaming back and forth as they passed each other, their paws throwing foul smelling dust into the air. The Thunderpath was much busier this time, and Ravenpaw crouched, half-hidden underneath a thicket, waiting for a lull. But it seemed that as soon as he readied himself to pelt across another monster roared in the distance, and he didn't want to cross until he knew it was safe.

Shivering as he watched one monster after another race by, Ravenpaw knew that he was wasting too much time now. He could have sworn the sun had noticeably moved since he had started resting by the Thunderpath. He couldn't wait any longer. Gathering his courage, Ravenpaw darted forward. A monster's growl rumbled in his ears, but he reached the other side with plenty of time to spare.

Ducking behind the cover of another thicket, Ravenpaw wrinkled his nose in disgust. With all the time he'd spent at the edge of the Thunderpath his fur had taken in some of its stench. Ravenpaw rubbed his paws on the grass, trying to rid them of the grime. He was almost there now.

The ground grew steeper. He passed a large boulder, and recognized it as the one he had rested on the first time he had been here. In the distance, a steep rocky hill rose into the sky. He continued on. It was past sunhigh now even though the land was covered in shadows. Dark blue-gray clouds rolled along overhead as the opening of the cave appeared in front of him. Ravenpaw sat down. Now all he needed to do was wait for the moon to rise.

This was a stupid idea, Ravenpaw reflected while the sun set. It wasn't just stupid, it was absurd. Since when did StarClan give advice to apprentices? What if he made it to the Moonstone and StarClan scolded him for having the audacity to speak to them? And then when he got home he would be punished. He could only imagine the uproar in ThunderClan right now. His heart clenched at the thought of his Clanmates thinking he had disappeared without a trace, and he wondered how long it must have took for them to notice he was missing. Tigerclaw was projecting an image of concern and leading search parties most likely, although deep down he was certainly filled with glee that Ravenpaw had ran away. Dustpelt was probably worried although he'd never admit it...

Ravenpaw shook his head to himself and peered at the square shaped hole in the stone. He couldn't turn back now. Asking StarClan for answers was his last resort to keep his sanity, and he wasn't sure how he'd cope if his warrior ancestors refused to help. The sun would fall below the horizon soon.

Glimpsing Mothermouth, he reflected that the dark cavern was even blacker than he remembered it. Taking a deep breath, Ravenpaw began to make his way toward the cave. It was time.


	16. Chapter 15

Ravenpaw poked his nose into the entrance of the cavern. He squinted but was unable to make out any features or pathways through the darkness. Slipping inside, he began to walk into the shadows. Within moments he was swallowed by darkness, unable to see his own paws.

The blackness permeated the air like a thick fog. As Ravenpaw hurried through the tunnel, he forced himself to move quickly, knowing that if he didn't he would hesitate and turn back, and then all the trouble he was in would be for nothing.

But then he realized that the tunnel was twisting. It curved right and up and then right some more . . . Ravenpaw let out a slow breath as his nose grazed a wall. It was a dead end. He must have passed a fork in the cave without knowing it.

Padding back the way he came, Ravenpaw allowed his fur to brush the side of the tunnel. Eventually he found where the path split off, and this time he took the other fork.

He followed the path. There was another fork, and another, and then another- or at least Ravenpaw thought there had been; he wasn't sure if he had somehow circled around or not. But now the tunnel was getting smaller, the stone scraping at his pelt as he moved farther and farther down. As skinny as he was, Ravenpaw had to crouch to keep going. Soon he realized that if he went much farther he would get stuck.

_This can't be right. Leaders and medicine cats have to reach the Moonstone; how would they be able to get there if the tunnel is too small for even me?_

He wriggled back awkwardly.

A breeze twitched his whiskers, and he padded with renewed optimism through the cave until he walked head first into a rocky wall.

Another dead end. _Mousedung!_ Ravenpaw backed away, reeling from the pain. Aside from the stars he was seeing as an aftereffect of the collision, it was pitch black. Night vision didn't help him here; there was absolutely no light at all.

Setting off at a run, he made it a few tail-lengths before his whiskers touched a wall. He was starting to panic. He couldn't die in here, not like this! _The medicine cats will probably find my body at the next half-moon!_

Ravenpaw halted. _Wait, I can follow the medicine cats' scent!_ With a fresh sense of hope, Ravenpaw brushed his nose against the stone wall, but the air was so cold it burned the roof of his mouth. There was nothing for cat scent to cling to, he realized with a pang of despair; the medicine cats' trail would be gone by now. Pushing on, he sniffed the air every few pawsteps, praying that he would detect anything besides salty rock.

Ravenpaw wandered for what felt like days. He knew now that it had been a mistake to wait until after the medicine cats visited the Moonstone. If he had gone before the half-moon at least the medicine cats might have had a chance of finding him before he died.

Paws shaking, he continued onward. The path sloped and twisted, and Ravenpaw began to come to terms with the fact that his life could end inside a dark never ending cave.

He was about to give up hope when he realized that he could _see._ The pathway was just barely visible but it was enough. He followed the tunnel by sight now, and it grew brighter and brighter until he emerged into a cavern illuminated with blinding white light, and he found himself flinching away from it, closing his eyes.

The light seared even through his eyelids; he had gone from the pitch black tunnel to a place so immersed in light that he couldn't see a thing. After a short time, Ravenpaw dared to open his eyes. _This must be the Moonstone._ Surveying the bright stone, Ravenpaw warily circled his way around it. The Moonstone was three tail-lengths high, and two wide. It seemed to bleach the entire cave silver; even Ravenpaw's own black fur looked dark gray.

Peering out through the gap in the roof, he narrowed his eyes at what he saw and let out a bark of laughter. It was moonhigh. He hadn't been trapped for days; the moon hadn't even set yet. Tail curling up in delight, Ravenpaw scrutinized the Moonstone, deciding what he should do next.

Ravenpaw's jubilance died abruptly as he surveyed the Moonstone. For the first time he realized the flaw in his plan to talk to his ancestors. He had been so dead set on reaching the Moonstone that he hadn't thought about how to actually communicate with them. What did medicine cats do to speak to StarClan? Did they recite a ritual prayer to summon them?

The Moonstone was glowing, its eerie light sending shivers down Ravenpaw's spine. Against his instincts, he began to approach it.

A breeze ruffled his ear fur. He froze. There couldn't be a breeze; he was in an enclosed cavern. Then he remembered that there was an opening to the outside. But above him, the wind was silent. The sky was quiet beyond the gap in the ceiling.

_Ravenpaw._ His pelt twitched at the voice. He must have imagined it.

He wasn't supposed to be here; this was a place for medicine cats, not apprentices. Ravenpaw strained his ears, taking another step forward. He could hear whispers through the silence.

_Ravenpaw._ He was definitely hearing his name now.

Finding himself drawn toward the Moonstone, he inched closer.

_Ravenpaw._

Touching his nose to the stone, Ravenpaw felt a shiver of electricity flow through him. It was cold, yet he found that he couldn't flinch away. He slowly crouched down, his nose still grazing the Moonstone. Closing his eyes, he felt himself being enveloped in an icy chill.

It was colder than the iciest leaf-bare, and he found that his muscles were locked, as though he had been frozen solid. This couldn't be right, he worried.

_Perhaps I'll just freeze to death here,_ Ravenpaw mused sadly. _It would be a fitting end to my pathetic life._

Then he heard pawsteps. If he hadn't already been fixed in place he would have frozen on the spot. Some cat must have followed him.

He resolutely kept his eyes shut, holding onto the kit-like belief that if he didn't see his pursuer they couldn't see him either. But the pawsteps continued.

Fearful of what he might see, he opened his eyes just a tiny bit. The light of the Moonstone had faded, and Ravenpaw was now standing in a lush green clearing. There were no cats here. He looked around and breathed in the air, although what he was trying to scent he wasn't sure. The air wasn't cold anymore; instead it was filled with the smells of a greenleaf rich forest.

Ravenpaw dug his claws into the ground to steady himself. He had no idea where he was or how he had gotten here, and the sound of pawsteps was still getting closer.

The thrumming of paws stopped. Feeling a foreign gaze on the back of his head, Ravenpaw turned around on trembling paws.

A golden tabby tom was watching him. Ravenpaw figured that this must be a StarClan cat, but the tom looked so real, and it took a few moments for what he was seeing to make sense to his brain. _Lionheart!_

Lionheart let out a low purr. "It is good of you to join us, Ravenpaw."

_Join us?_ Ravenpaw's heart dropped. Perhaps only medicine cats and leaders were allowed to speak to StarClan, and by disobeying their will he had paid the price. "Am I... am I dead?"

Lionheart shook his head, amusement gleaming in his eyes. "No, you are very much alive." He turned, giving Ravenpaw an affectionate blink. "Come."

Ravenpaw complied, his heart in his throat. As he followed Lionheart through the sun dappled woods, Ravenpaw was exploding with questions. Was this StarClan's hunting grounds, and if it was where were the other cats? He peered through the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of cats he'd once known: Spottedleaf, Lionheart, his mother, Robinwing... They could be just around the corner, and Ravenpaw readied himself to spring forward to meet them when they appeared.

He was unprepared to actually see them, and despite his excitement just moments before, he froze on the spot as a group of cats came into view. Spottedleaf was there, sitting with her tail tucked around her paws, and her amber eyes were as warm as they had been in life. She dipped her head in greeting, and Ravenpaw nodded back, unable to speak.

The tortoiseshell pelt of Redtail flicked across his vision as he scanned the group of cats. Ravenpaw avoided his gaze. Redtail's expression was unreadable; Ravenpaw wondered if the former deputy blamed him for the lack of justice he had received after his death.

There were other cats he recognized too: a red furred elder who had died during his kithood, the tabby kits who had succumbed to greencough during his first leaf-bare. A spiky furred black-and-white tom was sitting at the edge of the group, and somehow he seemed very familiar.

"Are you..." Ravenpaw struggled to speak. "Fuzzypelt?" The tom nodded. Ravenpaw barely had any memories of his father; Fuzzypelt had died soon after Ravenpaw had been born. The tom's black fur still bristled as much as he remembered it.

Ravenpaw caught sight of his mother next; the brown she-cat with the distinctive ginger patch on her chest was sitting next to Fuzzypelt, her eyes filled with sadness. "Robinwing?" A flicker of joy blossomed in his chest as Robinwing gave him an affectionate blink. Her eyes were filled with too many emotions for Ravenpaw to count.

"Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw wrenched his eyes away from the cats, and turned back to Lionheart.

"Fire alone can save our Clan," Lionheart recited, tilting his head at Ravenpaw. "But the fire never came and never will come. Does that sound familiar?"

A memory hit Ravenpaw with a jolt. He had heard about this prophecy when he'd accidentally eavesdropped on Bluestar and Spottedleaf shortly before the medicine cat's death. They had been concerned about the lack of signs StarClan were giving them regarding the prophecy, and now it sounded as though their concern had been rightly placed. Ravenpaw gave a hesitant nod. The StarClan cats watched him intently.

"There was once a fire, but the fire is gone," Lionheart repeated. "The lost prophecy will not help you. But ThunderClan can still survive."

Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes. It didn't make sense to him- wasn't fire alone supposed to save the Clan? How then, would ThunderClan survive without this supposed fire if it was important enough that a prophecy was made about it? His heart beat wildly in his chest.

"Why are you telling me this? I'm not a medicine cat; I don't..." Ravenpaw trailed off in alarm. The other StarClan cats were fading, their pelts abruptly becoming obscured by starlight as they padded back into the trees. "Wait, don't go!" He made to run after his mother, but she was already gone.

Lionheart crouched down to mew in his ear. "Listen carefully and listen well, Ravenpaw. ThunderClan can still survive, but the fire will not help you. Prophecies will not save you. The only fire that can save you is the one that is already within."

To Ravenpaw's horror, the outline of Lionheart was fading now. "Wait! I don't think I understand," Ravenpaw choked out. "Did you mean ThunderClan..." Lionheart's silhouette disappeared completely, leaving only the rustling of trees in his wake. Ravenpaw stared at the empty spot, heartbeat pounding in his ears. "Or me?"


	17. Chapter 16

The way back out of the cave took much less time than the way in- or at least that was what Ravenpaw thought. He supposed he could be wrong; in his journey to the Moonstone panic had seemed to warp his perception of time.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Ravenpaw nosed his way into the open air. The terrifying vision hadn't reassured him, but somehow his mind was clearer. StarClan hadn't abandoned him.

Now storm clouds were gathering on the horizon. Ravenpaw hurried down Highstones, cutting his paws on the sharp edged stones in his haste. He wasn't sure where he wanted to go, but he knew he had to get away from Mothermouth first.

Breathing heavily, Ravenpaw realized he should stop and hunt. He hadn't eaten since he'd left the ThunderClan camp and was beginning to feel weak on his paws. Crouching in a patch of grass, he tasted the air. Picking up the scent of rabbit, he hurried toward it, but the breeze shifted. The wind continued to change directions, often just as he was sure he had found a piece of prey. He was just about to give up when he finally managed to snag a shrew. He ate the stringy meat in two gulps.

Soon he had reached the Twolegplace again. The sun had risen, just barely visible behind the thickening black clouds, and when he crossed the Thunderpath the stone had retained its chill from the night. He warily crept past the various Twoleg nests, ducking under hedges and oddly placed stones, and slipping through fences.

Finally he had almost reached the end of the maze of nests. He was passing by a bright white fence when it crossed his mind that he'd been here before. He gave it a wary glance, recognizing it as a nest he had passed the first time he'd journeyed to Highstones with Bluestar. His wariness turned to alarm as he realized that part of it had swung open. Then a sharp barking sound hit his ears.

He whipped around in terror. Great brown creatures were sprinting in his direction.

_Dogs!_ Ravenpaw bounded up the side of the fence in a single leap, the fur on his shoulders spiking in terror. They were huge!

The dogs scrabbled at the fence with their blunt claws, shaking it back and forth. Ravenpaw struggled to hold on, his claws fraying. The dogs teeth snapped at his tail. If he lost his grip he would fall straight into their jaws.

Suddenly a sharp yowl cut through the snarling of the dogs. Startled, they turned to face the source of the noise. When Ravenpaw saw the black and white tom, he felt a jolt of surprise. It was Barley, the loner he had spoken to just once before.

Barley was now arching his back, hissing a challenge at the dogs. The vicious creatures' attention was now fully on the loner. They stood still for a moment, and with a sudden bark they charged at Barley, their tongues lolling as they raced away.

Ravenpaw hauled himself onto the top of the fence. Shaking, he pressed himself against it as thunder rumbled overhead, and rain began spatter the ground.

He didn't know how long he had stayed there when a shocked mew sounded from behind him over the dogs' barking in the distance. "Ravenpaw?" Barley leaped up beside him. "What are you doing here?"

"I . . ." Ravenpaw shivered as a cold drop of rain hit his nose. "I don't know."

Barley studied him closely for a moment. "Bluestar didn't send you out here all by yourself, did she?"

Ravenpaw was deciding whether to reply when a renewed round of barking rose into the cold air.

Barley's ears twitched; clearly he had heard them as well. "Why don't you come with me to the barn for now? Those dogs are still on the loose."

Nodding absently, Ravenpaw allowed Barley to lead him along a dusty path between the Twoleg nests. They ended up at a large tall nest. Although Ravenpaw wasn't familiar with Twolegs, he could tell that this was different from the other nests. _That must be his barn._

"This way." Barley waved him onward with his tail and slipped through a rotting gap in the wall. Ravenpaw glanced around for any roaming Twolegs, and then squeezed inside the barn. It was past sunhigh now, and the light from behind the clouds shone dimly inside the barn through a square shaped hole in the wall.

"So Ravenpaw," Barley began, regarding him thoughtfully. "I have to ask, why are you here?" Ravenpaw hesitated to answer, and Barley watched him carefully, his expression concerned. "Is there something going on in ThunderClan?"

Looking down, Ravenpaw squeezed his eyes shut. There were definitely terrible things happening within ThunderClan, but he couldn't share them with a loner. He gave a tiny shake of his head.

The black and white tom frowned. "Does your Clan know you are here?"

"No," Ravenpaw confessed, ducking his head. "They don't. I- I just had to get away."

Barley said nothing, patiently waiting for Ravenpaw to continue. He was suddenly filled with the urge to tell Barley everything: Tigerclaw's murder of Redtail, the various attempts at his life, Bluestar's disbelief at his account. But he couldn't. _Barley won't believe you anyway._

"I wanted to visit the Moonstone," Ravenpaw told him finally.

"Why?" Barley's tone was unobtrusive, and Ravenpaw somehow knew that the loner wouldn't force him to reveal anything. But there was something about Barley that made Ravenpaw feel at ease enough to keep talking

"I... just needed to. It is how StarClan speaks with us." Ravenpaw realized that Barley was a loner; he wouldn't know about StarClan. But Barley seemed to understand; he nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off Ravenpaw.

Barley padded over to sit next to him.

"Listen," Barley mewed gently. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I know that Clan cats have their own code, even if I don't entirely understand it."

Ravenpaw nodded slowly, exhausted.

Barley glanced up at a gap in the barn wall. "Why don't you sleep here tonight? You can't travel back to your Clan in this weather." He was right, Ravenpaw thought; rain was pattering the roof, and it had only just begun.

"Are you sure?"

"It's fine. The Twolegs don't care if there are cats in the barn as long as they don't bother them," Barley promised. "Here, I'll catch us something." He disappeared behind a stack of hay and heartbeats later emerged with a mouse.

As they ate, Barley didn't press him further, and Ravenpaw was thankful. They ate in silence, and when they were done Barley led Ravenpaw up a steep set of wooden slats to a ledge that looked down on the rest of the barn, and explained that it was safest to sleep high above the ground in the off chance the Twolegs decided to come in. Ravenpaw nodded sleepily, glad that he wasn't the only cat that took such things seriously.

Barley stretched and lay down in his nest. Ravenpaw pulled together some clumps of hay together to make a nest of his own a short way off.

Ravenpaw curled up in a ball, wrapping his tail around his paws. The hay was comfortable at least, but when he rested his head to close to it he breathed in the fragrant hay scent and sneezed. Rain pummeled the roof. His Clanmates were probably searching for him and they weren't going to understand why he had left. And when he got back he was going to be in for the punishment of his life.

Ravenpaw thought back to the dream the Moonstone had given him. It had been awe inspiring to see cats he thought he'd never see again, but StarClan hadn't given a clear answer to any of his questions. All he knew that he didn't know before was that there was a prophecy that was destined to never be fulfilled. Had this trip solved anything?

He pushed himself deeper into his nest. What was going to happen to him now?

* * *

Sunlight streamed into the barn the next morning, slanting through the misty air. Ravenpaw yawned, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The roof of the barn was sloped, and the square gap in the wall was sending a light breeze inside. Prey scent was all around him. Ravenpaw wondered if Barley would allow him to hunt. He hadn't eaten enough recently, and his belly was yowling.

The loner was curled up, still asleep, a few tail-lengths away.

Ravenpaw was hesitant to wake Barley, but his hunger drove him forward. "Um, Barley?" Barley's ears twitched. "Barley?" Ravenpaw shifted closer and prodded him with a forepaw.

Barley's eyes blinked open.

"Sorry to wake you, but would it be okay if I hunt? It's fine if it's not," he added hastily. "I can go somewhere else." His belly gave a loud rumble.

Barley waved his tail. "Oh no, Ravenpaw. Go right ahead. There's plenty of prey here."

Making his way to the floor, Ravenpaw tasted the air. Mouse scent was everywhere; he wasn't sure where to start. He picked a trail after a moment and followed it to a clump of hay. Ravenpaw crouched, staring at the mouse. It didn't notice him until the heartbeat before he sprang, and by then it was too late. Ravenpaw caught the mouse between his teeth, marveling at how easy it had been to catch. _No wonder Barley is so well-fed._

Ravenpaw brought the mouse back up to the loft. Barley had apparently hunted as well. An even larger mouse was sitting in front of him.

Ravenpaw dug in, looking up when his meal was almost gone and most of his hunger was satisfied. "Thanks again, by the way, about the dogs. I would have been crow-food if you hadn't been there."

"There are a lot of dogs in Twolegplace," Barley meowed. "You learn."

"Really?" Ravenpaw couldn't comprehend why a cat would roam about in a Twolegplace if they could avoid it. "You've been in Twolegplace... for fun?"

Barley shook his head quickly. "A few of the nests around the edge are good for rats. Now, the more crowded alleyways at the center are places you'd want to avoid, but that's easy enough if you just stick outside the main group of nests and never go too far past the ones at the edge."

"You've gone past the first few nests before though?" Ravenpaw asked with mingled anxiety and curiosity. He shivered. How far off course would he have needed to have been to end up in one of these terrible alleyways? What terrible dangers could Barley be speaking of?

"I used to live there." Barley twitched his ears. Realizing the topic was making Barley uncomfortable, Ravenpaw turned his attention back to his half-eaten mouse. He expected Barley to start asking him about ThunderClan, and was grateful when he didn't. They lapsed into silence.

Devouring the last of the mouse in quick bites, Ravenpaw got up, and was startled when Barley caught his attention. "You don't have to leave straightaway; it looks like it could rain again." Barley paused, licking the remaining scraps from his muzzle. "I could show you around the farm if you'd like."

Licking his mouth, Ravenpaw nodded. "Yeah. That would be great." Ravenpaw wasn't just being polite; he was telling the truth. Although Ravenpaw couldn't imagine living here himself, it would be interesting to see how a cat could survive in a place like this without Clanmates.

And he couldn't return to his Clan right now anyway, not yet. As Barley had pointed out, through the square shaped gap in the wall he could see there was another storm on the horizon, and there was no way Ravenpaw could journey through a heavy rainfall… or that was what he told himself. He knew he needed to get back to ThunderClan soon, but something was holding him back.

Barley led him down to the floor of the barn, a new energy in his pawsteps. Ravenpaw wondered how often he got the chance to talk to other cats.

Instead of leaving the barn though, Barley climbed back up a different set of wooden slats. Ravenpaw sprang up after him, and found himself on another raised floor space that didn't end at the wall that cut off most of the barn. There was a triangular gap in the wall held up by strange square shaped tree trunks.

Barley jerked his head to indicate that Ravenpaw should pad through the gap. Ravenpaw headed past him, a bit reluctant to stand in front of his guide when he didn't know what he might be facing, and looked down.

Hobbling around the floor on the other side of the wall were the strangest looking birds Ravenpaw had ever seen. Their fat bodies seemed disproportionate to their wings, and they walked awkwardly, making odd crowing noises. Whiskers twitching, Ravenpaw stared at the delicious looking birds. "Those are chickens," Barley explained. Noticing Ravenpaw's interest, he narrowed his eyes. "We can't catch them- that would make the Twolegs angry."

"Why do the Twolegs protect them?" Ravenpaw meowed.

"I'm not sure." Barley paused thoughtfully. "It must be important though. You don't want to be around a Twoleg if it thinks you've killed a chicken."

They made their way to the ground and left the barn through a gap in the wall. They had walked several fox-lengths when Ravenpaw noticed a Twoleg nest in the distance, barely visible through the fog.

"That's where the Twolegs live," Barley explained at Ravenpaw's look.

"Why wouldn't they want to live in the barn?" Ravenpaw asked. It had seemed nice enough; in fact, he couldn't imagine a nicer interior to a Twoleg nest.

Barley twitched his whiskers. "Unusual tastes, I suppose. I may live around them, but I'll never understand Twolegs." They walked a bit farther, coming to a large expanse of flat land. Spiky grass stubs poked up, remnants of the plants' green-leaf height.

"As you can see, here is the field. They all have different types of plants growing in them." Barley flicked his tail. "Not too ago the field grass in this one was easily twice as tall as the fence around that Twoleg nest with the dogs."

They followed the dirt track to a large patch of battered ground. What looked like Thunderpath monsters were resting there, their glittering pelts reflecting splinters of sunlight sharply onto the ground.

"Those are field monsters," Barley explained. "During the warm seasons they give Twolegs rides around the field. In leaf-fall they eat the field grass." Ravenpaw tensed; he had never heard of monsters that didn't follow Thunderpaths. What if they tried to attack him now?

Barley seemed to notice his discomfort. "Don't worry; they hibernate during leaf-bare. You're perfectly safe." He led Ravenpaw through a fence and down a gravelly path.

Ravenpaw bristled when he realized where he was. They were following the rat track. Bluestar had lost a life here after being swarmed by the vicious animals, and Ravenpaw had no desire to rush into a hive of rats again. He had purposely avoided this area on the way to Highstones.

But Barley didn't seem perturbed at all. He trotted along the path, his tail held high.

"Wait, Barley!" Ravenpaw sprinted to catch up. "I don't think this is a good idea," he hissed, sweeping his gaze along the ditch. "The rats could still be here."

Barley shook his head. "The swarm of rats is probably gone by now; the large groups will move to wherever they can find food. There will only be stragglers left." Barley added at Ravenpaw's fearful look: "and if they're still here, trust me, we'll be gone in a flash."

They padded along silently. Ravenpaw recalled the rat attack, and remembered his terror when Bluestar had lost a life, and his shock when she regained conciousness. He shivered. It had been very unnerving to see a cat that was seemingly dead wake up.

"Large groups are dangerous," Barley meowed after they walked another tree-length or so. "But single rats are great hunting. They can also be very tricky." He sat down and peered through a stretch of field grass.

"So how do you find them?" Ravenpaw was somehow at ease from Barley's calm demeanor. As long as Barley didn't expect him to hunt rats he'd be okay.

"There are signs," Barley explained. "Just like there are for any prey you'd find in your forest." He leaned forward. "Smell that?" Ravenpaw tasted the air, picking up the bitter tang of rat. "There's a rat nest nearby," Barley told him. "I'll show you how to find it. Look there." He indicated an odd stinky container with his tail. "That will attract them- the scent of rotting food. If you look over there, you might see them. A lot of them live in the walls of Twoleg nests." Barley fell into a crouch, pointing at a far-off point with his nose. "See if you can get that one."

Ravenpaw followed Barley's gaze. "It's just a hole in the nest."

"Can't you hear it?" Barley replied. Ravenpaw pricked his ears, detecting a tiny scrabbling sound.

_That's a rat?_ It certainly didn't sound like one; Ravenpaw remembered the wild squealing and teeth snapping from when he had been attacked by the rat swarm. This sounded just like normal prey. If Ravenpaw hadn't known what a rat was he might have guessed it to be a large mouse. But still he stood back. What if the rat charged him?

Ravenpaw peered at the rat, trying to reassure himself. _Barley is here. He can take on a whole group of rats and survive. If you have any trouble he'll run up and help you._ He gave Barley a nervous glance.

"Go on," Barley mewed in his ear. "Get a bit closer so you can see it."

If only Barley could have been his mentor. Ravenpaw crouched down, staring at the crack in the wall. He felt no fear, only exhilaration; somehow Barley's encouragement was spurring him forward. This was how his warrior training should have been, he realized- with a cat that actually cared about his wellbeing.

There it was. A rat emerged from the hole in the wall. It waddled into an open area, far from the safety of its home. Ravenpaw had to remind himself that this wasn't like the rat attack he had endured at all- there was only one.

_Just one._ Ravenpaw crept forward, his belly fur brushing the gravel that littered the ground. Making a split-second decision to go for it, Ravenpaw dashed headlong onto the patch of grass the rat was sitting on.

A sharp crack rang out and then it was over. Ravenpaw held the rat by the neck. He carried it in his jaws and dropped it in front of Barley. "Was that okay?"

"Well done," Barley meowed. "Very good for a first catch. See, I thought you'd make a good ratter!"

Ravenpaw couldn't stop his tail from shooting upwards in pride. "Perhaps you could show me some more tricks. It's different tracking prey in such an open area."

"Let's try a few nests down." Barley began to trot away, and slowed to allow Ravenpaw to catch up. "There'll be another nearby."

Even as a misty rain began to fall, Ravenpaw realized this was the most relaxed he'd been in seasons. Although he was far from ThunderClan territory, this was a hunting lesson with no expectations, ulterior motives, or possibility of punishment. _Like a hunting lesson should be._ Padding alongside his newfound friend, Ravenpaw felt his spirits soar. "You take this one," he offered. "I want to see how it's done."


	18. Chapter 17

They spent the day going over the finer points of ratting. Rats were much smarter than other prey, Barley had explained. They could trick you or swarm you, and they were much faster than they looked.

Ravenpaw took it all in, even though he knew he was unlikely to find a rat on ThunderClan territory.

"Are you sure I'm getting it?" Ravenpaw and Barley were trudging back to the barn, the light of the setting sun glowing orange behind the patches of dark storm clouds. "I only caught the first one."

"That one was lucky, I'll admit," Barley acknowledged. "But the promise is there. You've already gotten the basic technique down; it would only be a matter of time before you managed to catch more." _Would be…_ Ravenpaw blinked sadly. He knew had to leave soon, and Barley did as well.

* * *

The remainder of the day somehow passed in a blur, and the next morning Ravenpaw and Barley shared a meal like they had the previous day.

They had finished their prey when Ravenpaw took a deep breath. The sky was clear. He couldn't put it off any longer. "I have to go back."

Barley didn't try to convince him otherwise; he seemed completely unsurprised. "I understand." Ravenpaw blinked regretfully; he had enjoyed his time here. There was something about Barley that made him feel safe, and he had never been this relaxed in his entire life. But he knew he had to go; his Clan was waiting for him. He had been gone for three days now, and Ravenpaw didn't even want to imagine the trouble he would be in when he got back. Barley's mew shook him from his thoughts. "Come on. I'll show you the best path home."

They bounded down from the hayloft and squeezed through the hole in the barn wall. Barley led him along the dirt tracks around the barn; as they walked Ravenpaw picked out the landmarks and realized how familiar he was with this place after only a day. Barley took him to a track he didn't recognize, long past the trench Ravenpaw had feared so much just yesterday.

Finally, they stopped at the edge of a small field. Barley pointed with his nose toward a gap between two fences. "This is the shortest way back to the forest, I think."

It took Ravenpaw a moment to find his voice. "Thank you," he meowed softly, "for everything."

"No, thank you," Barley replied. "I like living in the barn, but it gets a little lonely. It's nice to have another cat around sometimes."

They lingered awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to say. A lump formed in Ravenpaw's throat. He had only spent a day here, yet somehow this place felt comfortingly familiar.

Barley touched his nose to Ravenpaw's ear. "You're welcome to visit anytime. With a bit of practice, you'd make a fine ratter." Ravenpaw mumbled his thanks. He anxiously glanced at the path he was about to take, imagining the dangers that lay at the end of it. Barley gave him a friendly blink. "Safe journey."

"Goodbye, Barley." Tearing his gaze away from the loner, Ravenpaw waved his tail in farewell and began to trot down the path. He was returning to ThunderClan, so why did he feel like he was leaving home behind?

* * *

This time through WindClan territory the journey was less nerve wracking. The wind blew toward Ravenpaw so he could keep clear of other cats and avoid detection, but he was still on edge. A rival Clan wouldn't take too kindly to a cat who trespassed twice within three days.

In the end though, Ravenpaw wasn't intercepted by any WindClan patrols. He made it back to Fourtrees after a long trek under the rising sun and wispy light clouds, and let out a sigh of relief once he was in his own territory.

His relief was short lived. "Ravenpaw?" He nearly leaped out of his fur. Whitestorm was watching him with a mixture of sternness and concern in his eyes. "Where have you been?"

Ravenpaw lowered his eyes. Willowpelt and Mousefur padded up from behind Whitestorm, their faces a mix of surprise and another emotion that Ravenpaw couldn't decipher. Had Tigerclaw been telling them lies? What if they thought Ravenpaw had betrayed ThunderClan? He continued to avoid Whitestorm's gaze while his pelt prickled with shame. His Clanmates had probably been terribly worried.

When Ravenpaw didn't answer, Whitestorm flicked his tail. "Come. You need to get back to camp." Without another word Whitestorm turned and led Ravenpaw through the woods, past the stream and the Owltree and the training hollow. Willowpelt and Mousefur followed them close behind, but out of hearing range; Ravenpaw heard their whispers but couldn't make out what they were saying. He wished Whitestorm would say something, anything, even scolding would be better than this. His absence must have affected the Clan more than he'd thought.

They pushed their way into the camp, and Ravenpaw hid himself behind Whitestorm as his Clanmates' heads swung toward him. Murmurs rose up. The queens shared a confused glance, while Longtail mewed something to Dustpelt where they sat near the warriors' den. Ravenpaw felt a pang in his chest when Dustpelt's head jerked in his direction, but his brother didn't get up to meet him.

Whitestorm led Ravenpaw to Bluestar's den. He checked to make sure Ravenpaw was still following, and slipped inside. He bowed his head respectfully; Ravenpaw held his breath, terrified of what his Clan leader's reaction would be. "Bluestar, it turns out that Ravenpaw was closer than we thought." Whitestorm stepped aside, allowing Ravenpaw to pad through the lichen and into view. Ravenpaw could have sworn Bluestar's eyes widened in shock, but they were back to normal a heartbeat later. "He was at Fourtrees when I found him. He came from WindClan territory."

"Thank you, Whitestorm." Bluestar dipped her head at the white warrior. "You may go." Whitestorm nodded and left the den, leaving Ravenpaw alone with with his Clan leader. Ravenpaw shuffled his paws, painfully aware that her expression was unreadable. She finally spoke, her blue eyes glinting. "Explain yourself."

Digging his claws into the ground, Ravenpaw tried to determine where to start. He glanced downward, shame prickling his pelt. Why hadn't he thought of what he'd say before?

"Do you think you can disappear for days on end without explanation? Speak."

"I went to the Moonstone," Ravenpaw whispered, wishing he could sink into the ground.

"You wished to speak with StarClan." Bluestar's mew wasn't a question.

Ravenpaw nodded rapidly, but stopped when Bluestar didn't reply.

The silence seemed to last a lifetime. When Bluestar spoke again her mew was dangerous. "So the journey there and back kept you occupied for three days?"

Ravenpaw shook his head. "On the way back I ran into Barley, and it was too rainy to travel so I-" he twitched his ears at the feebleness of his explanation- "I s-stayed with him, at his farm."

Bluestar stood up, her eyes blazing with rage, and her voice was deceptively calm. "After everything that has happened..." Ravenpaw tried to make himself seem as tiny as possible. He had never seen Bluestar so furious. "I know you have been having a difficult time lately, but that is no excuse to disappear for three days. You could have died. Darkstripe, a cat who has tried to kill you several times, is known to lurk about our territory. Do you realize that we believed you were dead?"

"No," Ravenpaw squeaked.

"How many times does he have to attack for you to understand the seriousness of this situation?! I cannot lead a Clan whose cats run off against my orders!" Ravenpaw winced. Bluestar shut her eyes and sighed. "As understandable as it is that you would wish to seek out StarClan, slipping away like that was unacceptable. Countless search parties were sent to find you, and not only were their efforts wasted since you actively tried to avoid detection, but it also took time away from hunting and border patrols, two things that we cannot afford to go light on during leaf-bare." Bluestar shook her head to herself. "For this reason, you will be punished. From now on you are confined to camp. You will tend the elders and help Yellowfang with her medicine cat duties."

Paws trembling so hard he threatened to tip over, Ravenpaw nodded. "Y-yes, Bluestar."

"See Yellowfang and she will tell you what to do. Your punishment starts now."

Eyes shut tight, Ravenpaw crouched down, his tail shaking. "Bluestar, shall I hunt for the elders as well?"

"No," she snapped. "You will not be hunting for the elders because you cannot be trusted outside the camp!"

Ravenpaw cowered from her anger, lowering his head. "Yes, Bluestar."

Breathing out through her nose, Bluestar closed her eyes as if to calm herself. "Go."

Ravenpaw didn't need to be told twice. He stumbled out of the den, avoiding its walls by a whisker as he went.

Bluestar was so angry with him, Ravenpaw didn't know if he would ever be able to make her respect him again. He didn't think _any_ cat had ever been this furious with him... well, aside from Tigerclaw anyway, and that didn't really count. He fluffed out his fur against the cold. The sky was gray with rain clouds again.

Abruptly he noticed two cats racing over to meet him. "Ravenpaw, you're all right!" Graystripe bounded toward him, and Ravenpaw's pelt prickled with guilt. It had been rather thoughtless to disappear for days at a time.

"You stupid furball, what were you thinking?!" Sandpaw growled, cuffing his ear.

Ravenpaw couldn't meet their eyes. "I don't know."

"Great StarClan, ' _I don't know?!'_ We thought Darkstripe got you!" Graystripe meowed.

"Yeah. Bluestar told me." Ravenpaw shuffled his paws guiltily.

"Where in the name of StarClan were you anyway?" Graystripe meowed. "Willowpelt is saying you were on WindClan territory. Is that true?"

Ravenpaw flicked his tail awkwardly. He hadn't told Bluestar yet about his run in with the WindClan patrol on his way to Highstones. She would certainly find out at the Gathering; Ravenpaw resolved to inform her later, though he knew it would probably add time to his punishment. "I was," he answered finally.

"And?" Sandpaw prompted him. "Are you going to tell us why? I'm guessing it wasn't a Bluestar approved mission."

Ravenpaw bristled. The last thing he needed was a rumor of him spying for WindClan! "I was passing through. To Highstones," he added, deciding to be honest.

Graystripe and Sandpaw shared a surprised look. The only reason a cat would journey to Highstones was to visit the Moonstone, and Ravenpaw wasn't sure he could answer their questions.

He rushed to change the subject. "How long did it take before cats noticed I was gone?"

Sandpaw snorted. "Well, _I_ noticed right away, mousebrain! We _are_ denmates, remember?" The pale ginger she-cat flicked her tail across his flank. Graystripe shot Sandpaw a doubtful glance. "Well… fine. Honestly, I just thought you went hunting early so I didn't think anything of it. And Cinderpaw kept meowing about how you'd agreed to train with her so why would you have left, but Dustpelt was having none of that so he just took her training alone." Ravenpaw cringed. "Tigerclaw didn't look for you until later, but when he couldn't find you every cat realized you were gone. Bluestar started sending search parties a bit after sunhigh."

"Speaking of hunting…" Graystripe shuffled his paws awkwardly. "I still need to get out today…" Ravenpaw tilted his head as Graystripe began to back away.

Sandpaw twitched her ears skeptically. "You know, Graystripe, you're not even supposed to be hunting. Shouldn't you be sheltering at the fallen oak with the other sick cats?" Ravenpaw flicked his ears. Sick cats? He had vaguely noticed some scattered bouts of coughing the days before he left, but he was surprised to hear they were now they were being quarantined from the rest of the Clan.

"I'm fine now. I got the all clear from Yellowfang yesterday." Graystripe sniffled, and Sandpaw wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Really, I'm much better now. It's the cats with whitecough we should be worried about."

"Fine, go hunt then." Sandpaw waved him off with a paw. Ravenpaw wasn't sure what to think when Graystripe raced away; didn't his friend care that he was back? Why was he in such a hurry to leave? Ravenpaw turned to watch him go and realized that Bluestar had seen Graystripe too; she had emerged from her den and was staring at the spot he'd just abandoned. Then Ravenpaw noticed Tigerclaw sitting a few fox-lengths away from Bluestar, as though he'd just left her den.

Bluestar's gaze flicked across Ravenpaw and then back to Tigerclaw. As angry as she was, Ravenpaw knew she wouldn't reveal his accusations to Tigerclaw. But Tigerclaw clearly knew something was wrong. The dark tabby lashed his tail, and showed no sign of noticing his apprentice, though Ravenpaw knew Tigerclaw could see him. Ravenpaw shuddered; seeing his mentor for the first time in days was dredging up old memories.

He had no idea what Tigerclaw would think when he found out he'd been to the Moonstone. He was certain Bluestar would tell Tigerclaw about that, but at least his punishment was out of Tigerclaw's paws; there was no way the deputy would try to take him out of camp alone now.

Sandpaw had continued as though nothing happened. "Anyway, Bluestar sent three or four patrols the first day," she explained. "No cat could track you past the stream though." She paused. "But really, why Highstones? You meant to visit the Moonstone right? Did you actually find it?"

"I'll tell you later." Ravenpaw pointed with his nose toward the medicine den. "I have to help Yellowfang now." He got up, convinced that Tigerclaw was going to rush over and start yowling at him to get started on his punishment.

"Wait just a moment! You just got back. You can at least eat first." Sandpaw bounded away to the fresh-kill pile picked out a vole and a sparrow, and padded over to the tree stump. She beckoned Ravenpaw with her tail, leaving him no choice but to join her. "So," she began, sliding the vole in front of him. "Cinderpaw is going to be happy you're back."

Ravenpaw didn't hear most of what she said, but the fact that some cat wanted to talk to him after what he'd done warmed his pelt.


	19. Chapter 18

After his meal with Sandpaw, Ravenpaw hurried to the medicine den, anxiety making the fur along his spine stand up. He slid inside before any cat could question him about his days-long disappearance; he knew Tigerclaw would tell them all about it anyway.

Yellowfang was waiting for him, her orange eyes glowing in the darkness of the small cave. "Ah, there you are."

Ravenpaw felt his ears twist back uncomfortably against his will. Yellowfang padded up, her dark gray tail twitching.

"I was worried I was going to have to find you and drag you in here myself." Yellowfang's orange eyes held a glimmer of amusement. "I didn't think I left that bad of an impression during your last punishment that you'd avoid me most of the day."

It was still difficult to meet the old medicine cat's eyes; she was intimidating even though Ravenpaw knew that she wouldn't attack him from out of nowhere. "What- what would you like me to do?" He shifted his weight on his paws. He knew he would feel better once he started doing something.

Yellowfang motioned with her tail for Ravenpaw to follow, and he found himself in the darkest reaches of her den, where the herb stores were kept. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. "I need help with treating the cats with whitecough, so that's where you'll start. You'll be bringing herbs to the cats sheltering under the fallen oak and changing their bedding. This is when you're not tending the elders; I understand Bluestar has you doing that as well."

Ravenpaw nodded in acceptance. He had expected worse.

"Here, take this." Yellowfang laid a leaf wrap down in front of him. Ravenpaw blinked at her questioningly. "Eat it."

"What's it for?" Ravenpaw asked. He had thought he was going help treat his Clanmates, not be treated himself.

"It'll prevent greencough." Yellowfang looked away, muttering under her breath: " _Hopefully._ "

Ravenpaw stiffened, and when he spoke his voice came out as a high squeak. " _Greencough_? I thought you said it was only whitecough?!" He bristled, unable to stop himself from panicking. Greencough had made its way into the nursery when he was a kit. It had killed his mother, and in addition to that, five kits.

"It's not greencough yet, but we need to do everything we can to prevent it," Yellowfang meowed. "Eat the tansy, then take a dose to each of the cats sheltering by the fallen tree. Make sure to keep your distance when you go."

Ravenpaw nodded, his mind whirring with her instructions. "How much?" he asked, staring down at the pile of yellow herbs.

"Just a few pieces."

Bending his head to pick up the leaf wrap, Ravenpaw's ears twitched.

"Wait, Ravenpaw." Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. "It seems rather odd that you would feel the need to make the journey to the Moonstone. What could you hope to gain from disobeying your leader's direct orders and running away? It doesn't seem like you."

Shuffling his paws, Ravenpaw didn't answer, and filled the silence by nudging the herbs into a neater pile.

"Hmmph. Well fine, if you're not going to tell me…" The old medicine cat headed back to the far corner of her den. Her voice echoed out one last time. "Have Dustpelt bring me a vole or something. I haven't eaten since sunrise."

Struggling with his herbs, Ravenpaw stumbled out of the den. Why would Yellowfang think he was going to confide in her? Perhaps she was just fishing for gossip. After Ravenpaw told her, she might turn around and tell some other cat.

* * *

Ravenpaw pushed another pawful of moss into the elders' den, smoothing it over with another paw.

It had been several days since his punishment started. Even though the elders could be difficult at times, it was better than training with Tigerclaw. Ravenpaw was careful to avoid his mentor, and they still hadn't shared words since he'd come back, although he caught Tigerclaw glaring at him from time to time. Yellowfang continued to watch him thoughtfully whenever he helped organize herbs, but didn't question him further.

Brackenpaw had volunteered to help Ravenpaw collect moss today, since he had been left in the camp by himself again. The golden brown tabby apprentice had explained that Graystripe had gone hunting, which gave Ravenpaw pause- why didn't Graystripe just bring his apprentice along for the practice?- but he shrugged it off. He supposed if he were a warrior he would want some time to hunt alone too, although it was a bit odd how much Graystripe insisted on it. It had been over a moon since they'd talked about taking part in a joint hunting trip, and he _still_ hadn't gotten the chance to hunt with Graystripe. He hoped Graystripe still wanted to spend time with him, but in the back of his mind he worried that Graystripe had better things to do than to hunt with a former denmate.

Now Ravenpaw squeezed out of the elders' den, flattening his ears against the rainwater dripping onto his face. This was his second leaf-bare, and he hadn't remembered his first one being so wet; most of his kithood memories were of snow and sickness.

"Thanks for fetching all this moss, Brackenpaw," Ravenpaw meowed as he passed.

"It's no problem," Brackenpaw replied, placing a clump of moss into the pile at Ravenpaw's feet. "Would you like me to bring some more?"

Ravenpaw blinked away raindrops. "No, you don't have to. This is enough. Thanks." As Brackenpaw began to walk away, Cinderpaw abruptly raced up, springing past her brother and skidding to a halt at Ravenpaw's side. He let out an amused purr. Nothing could stop Cinderpaw's enthusiasm.

"How long does your punishment last?" Cinderpaw meowed, her tail waving.

"I have no idea," he mewed, picking up the clumps of moss.

"When it's over, Dustpelt can take us for another training session." Cinderpaw padded alongside him as he trudged to the medicine den; she was practically skipping in spite of the dark weather. "Maybe even battle training. You must know so much with Tigerclaw as your mentor; you could show me lots of battle moves."

Ravenpaw dropped the moss and shook his head sadly. "Trust me, Cinderpaw, you don't want me as your combat training partner."

Cinderpaw halted, her eyes suddenly serious. "Where did you go, Ravenpaw?" She turned to directly meet his gaze. Rain streamed down her whiskers. "Why did you leave?"

"It's not important." Ravenpaw looked away, and ducked under an overhanging thicket. He was surprised his trip to the Moonstone hadn't gotten around to every cat in ThunderClan by now.

Cinderpaw glanced around, and lowered her voice. "Is it a secret?"

"No."

"Then why did you go?"

"It doesn't matter." Unease jabbed his belly.

"Please, Ravenpaw, I want to know. You were gone for days!" Ravenpaw stopped in his tracks, while Cinderpaw looked up at him pleadingly. "If you tell me where you went, I'll tell you the whole story of how Graystripe fell into the water that one time." The she-cat continued to stare at him, her blue eyes round and imploring. He licked his chest to smooth his ruffled fur, keeping one eye on Cinderpaw.

"Fair enough," Ravenpaw answered. He sighed; she was going to hear about it anyway. "I went to the Moonstone."

Cinderpaw pricked her ears. "Why?"

"I…" He paused, trying to come up with a plausible reason. "I never said I'd tell you _why_." Ravenpaw scuffed his paws against the leaves, hoping to avoid a deluge of questions, and thankfully the young apprentice was silent. "Now, I believe we had an agreement."

"What agreement?" Cinderpaw meowed innocently. "Oh, that. Right. Graystripe."

"Yes, what happened?" Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes playfully.

"Well, I'm surprised you answered and I promised I wouldn't…" Ravenpaw jokingly slitted his eyes in mock anger. "Okay, fine! I'll tell you!" Cinderpaw glanced around, and then slowly leaned over to mew into Ravenpaw's ear. "Graystripe got rescued by a RiverClan she-cat."

Blinking, Ravenpaw raised his head. "What? Didn't you say you were at the stream? What was a RiverClan cat doing that far inside our territory?"

Cinderpaw shuffled her paws. "Well, um, we weren't actually at the stream. We were hunting by the river."

Ravenpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. "So why lie?"

"Because we ended up in RiverClan territory."

Ravenpaw tried to piece together the events in his head. "Okay," he began, frowning, "so you decided to hunt on the ice, Graystripe followed you out and fell in, and then this RiverClan she-cat just appears and drags him out of the water?"

"Well no, he actually saw the vole and ran after it, and then the ice broke..." Cinderpaw twitched her tail. "Agh, I shouldn't be telling you this! Promise you won't say anything?"

"Don't worry. I won't bring it up with him," Ravenpaw purred, flicking his tail against Cinderpaw's flank.

Just then Dustpelt walked up, and focused an accusing glare on his apprentice. "I've just heard Speckletail complaining that she hasn't gotten food today. I told you to take that mouse you caught to the queens."

"Oops, I forgot." Her shoulders sagging, Cinderpaw groaned. Dustpelt was still giving her an irritated stare. "Yes, Dustpelt, I'll do it right away. See you later, Ravenpaw." She trotted after Dustpelt, turning her head around and shooting a disappointed look at Ravenpaw as she went.

As Cinderpaw broke off from her mentor to head toward the fresh-kill pile, Dustpelt walked briskly over to Longtail and Sandpaw, acknowledged them with a flick of his ears, and together the three of them left through the gorse tunnel. Dustpelt, who had not spared Ravenpaw a second glance, didn't look back now either.

As Ravenpaw carried another patch of moss into the elders' den, he wondered if Dustpelt would ever acknowledge his existence. Even as kits they hadn't been close, but they had at least played together sometimes. Usually Dustpelt got to be the warrior, and Ravenpaw would be the mouse. Robinwing would watch out of the corner of her eye to make sure things didn't get too rough. Ravenpaw blinked rain out of his eyes. If only he could go back to those days.

After replacing the elders' bedding, the rain eased, and Ravenpaw nosed his way into the clearing and padded to Brackenpaw's store of moss. He picked a large piece up between his teeth, gave it a shake to get the last bits of moisture out, and then trotted to the medicine den.

The den was packed with cats. Two of Brindleface's kits were there, as well as Swiftpaw, Speckletail's kit, and Patchpelt.

As Ravenpaw patted the moss down into Patchpelt's nest, Yellowfang addressed him without looking up from treating Speckletail's kit. "It's good that you're here, Ravenpaw. Get a dose of tansy for Patchpelt, and make sure to take one of your own."

"I'm alright," Patchpelt meowed. The black-and-white elder had insisted that he was fine ever since Yellowfang ordered him to nest in the medicine den. "I shouldn't be here; it's just a cold. Don't waste your herbs on me."

Yellowfang flicked her tail. "Whitecough isn't just a cold. It can turn into greencough."

Ravenpaw's whiskers twitched as he slid past Yellowfang to the back of the den. Rummaging through the herb store, he found the tansy immediately. He recognized a few herbs now, mainly the ones used to treat whitecough and fevers.

As he made his way back to Patchpelt, he took in the appearance of the cats in the den. One of Brindleface's kits let out a hacking cough, while Swiftpaw rasped weakly. Speckletail's kit looked the worst, and there were times that Ravenpaw had looked at him and thought he had died before his chest gave a tiny heave.

Dropping the tansy in front of Patchpelt, he bent down to take some himself, and listened to Patchpelt continue to refuse his medicine. As he ate he felt as though whiskers were tickling his throat. When he finished he coughed sharply, and the sensation went away.

Ravenpaw left the medicine den, and had just sat down when an abrupt yowl announced the arrival of a returning patrol. "We found him!" Sandpaw raced to the center of the camp, panting. "We found Darkstripe!"

"He's here?!" Bristling, Ravenpaw leaped to his paws, ready to run if they brought the dark tom into the camp.

"Oh sorry, Ravenpaw. No, we drove him off." Sandpaw sat down, panting, as Dustpelt and Longtail joined her.

"What is this?" Tigerclaw growled, striding up to the returning patrol.

Ravenpaw slunk away to keep clear of his mentor, and settled himself behind Sandpaw. Dustpelt stood at the front of the group. "Darkstripe is gone."

Tigerclaw drew his ears back. "Explain."

"We picked up his trail by the stream," Dustpelt reported. "He'd been crisscrossing our territory for days from the scent of it. The trail was recent, so we followed it. We caught up with him at Snakerocks. He tried to fight us at first, but then he must have realized he was in a losing battle taking on so many of us at once, so he shot off toward the Thunderpath. We rushed him there and ran after him alongside the Thunderpath for a time."

A small crowd had gathered by now. Frostfur and Brindleface were sharing concerned looks with each other while their young kits played nearby; Runningwind and Mousefur padded up and settled themselves beside the queens. Dappletail, and Halftail murmured restlessly. Cinderpaw lingered at the edge of the group, her eyes curious. Yellowfang had emerged from her den; she set down her bundle of herbs and watched the drama unfold through narrowed eyes.

"We were nearly hit by monsters," Longtail interjected darkly.

Dustpelt cast a sidelong glance at Sandpaw. "Yes, and whose fault was that?"

The pale ginger apprentice flicked her tail in protest. "Hey, didn't you see him shooting those looks across at ShadowClan territory? If I hadn't blocked off his escape we wouldn't have gotten in any claw marks for him to remember us by."

Dustpelt twitched his whiskers. "Anyway, as soon as we were past the Thunderpath he ran straight over the border into ShadowClan territory."

"Did you see where he headed in ShadowClan territory?" Tigerclaw meowed.

Dustpelt shook his head. "No, it was too dark."

Agitated meows rumbled from the crowd. Ravenpaw picked up a few of their words.

"Traitor!"

"He's probably given our secrets to ShadowClan…"

"We should have known…" The grumbling continued, the mews muffled by the wind.

"Has any cat realized," Sandpaw meowed, raising her voice, "that this might be what Darkstripe was planning all along? Maybe all those moons ago when he attacked Ravenpaw, Darkstripe was already spying for ShadowClan. Maybe he thought you saw him when you crossed the border that one time," Sandpaw mewed to Ravenpaw. "That was why he wanted to kill you, not because he went mad."

More meowing spread through the group of cats. Ravenpaw blinked; Sandpaw's reasoning would have made sense if he hadn't known that Tigerclaw wanted him dead.

Tigerclaw was silent. Ravenpaw could almost see his thoughts churning underneath his pale amber gaze, wondering whether it would benefit him to seem receptive to Sandpaw's speculation. "That is certainly an interesting theory," he growled, staring directly at Ravenpaw, before turning away. "We must continue or the traitor might return. I will inform Bluestar and increase patrols along the ShadowClan border."

As Tigerclaw got up to make his way to Bluestar's den, Yellowfang stopped him with her tail. "Not now. Bluestar is ill. You can talk to her when she wakes up."

Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes at the medicine cat, clearly unhappy at being contradicted. "Very well. I will tell her later." He turned toward Ravenpaw, the tiniest hint of a snarl on his face, and Ravenpaw scooted away. He slipped to the side of the clearing, out of sight, behind the group of queens and their kits.

A flicker of dark gray appeared at the edge of Ravenpaw's vision, and he glanced over in surprise. Yellowfang looked like she was heading to the fresh-kill pile, but then she swerved and walked briskly to Bluestar's den, disappearing inside it. The fur on the back of Ravenpaw's neck rose. From the way Yellowfang was hurrying, Bluestar's condition must be serious. Willowpelt and Mousefur began to murmur to each other, while Runningwind's tail twitched nervously. For the first time he could remember, he was not alone in his worry.


	20. Chapter 19

A dark fog seemed to hang over the camp at the news of Bluestar's sickness. It had been a day since she had fallen ill. The first thing Ravenpaw saw when he emerged into the clearing that morning was Willowpelt leading Yellowfang into Bluestar's den, and it only intensified his concern.

Tigerclaw had taken Longtail and Sandpaw on patrol, giving Ravenpaw more time away from his mentor. He settled himself next to Dustpelt, and surprisingly the brown tabby warrior didn't shift away. They watched Bluestar's den in silence, united in their concern for their Clan leader.

Ravenpaw stifled a cough. His throat must have been sore from the achingly cold air.

But it wasn't just his throat that was sore. Even though he had slept well the previous night, his whole body ached as though he had run across the whole of ThunderClan territory. Ravenpaw stretched his forelegs. Caring for the cats with whitecough must have been more tiring than he'd thought.

Dustpelt was still watching Bluestar's den; he squinted, obviously trying to glimpse their Clan leader, but gave up soon after. "She has greencough," he meowed abruptly. "Yellowfang told me."

"She was fine just a few days ago." Ravenpaw let his gaze fall, remembering Bluestar's fury at his return from the Moonstone, and recalled how he had witnessed Bluestar die to the rat attack on his first visit there. "What if…" he began haltingly, "what if this is her last life?"

Dustpelt narrowed his eyes. "Don't talk like that."

They fell quiet again. Ravenpaw frowned. "I wasn't sure, but I noticed Yellowfang starting to use more tansy and feverfew yesterday."

"It came on pretty quick, apparently."

Ravenpaw watched as Willowpelt padded past the fresh-kill pile, glancing at the entrance to Bluestar's den. It was odd; he would never have expected this would be how he and Dustpelt would start speaking again. _Perhaps I can try to convince him I'm telling the truth about Tigerclaw_ … Ravenpaw shot a sidelong glance at Dustpelt. The brown tabby warrior was staring straight ahead, giving no indication that he noticed Ravenpaw's discomfort. Should he say anything?

Suddenly Longtail burst through the gorse tunnel, his tail streaming behind him like a leaf as he bounded into the clearing. Ravenpaw's tail fluffed out in surprise; the pale tabby was dashing directly towards them.

Longtail skidded to a halt next to Dustpelt and Ravenpaw, panting. "Tigerclaw has scented ShadowClan on the Thunderpath. He has Sandpaw waiting at the spot, by the burned ash tree." He swiveled his head toward Ravenpaw. "He wants you to join her."

A chill ran down Ravenpaw's spine. "Me?"

"No, I meant the other Ravenpaw," Longtail hissed cruelly. "Of course you."

Ravenpaw shrank back. "But I'm not allowed to leave the camp!" He looked hopefully at Dustpelt, but his littermate seemed unmoved. A growl was rumbling in the brown tabby's throat; Ravenpaw guessed he was angry about ShadowClan's trespassing.

Longtail twitched his ears. "Well, if you want Sandpaw to guard the place by herself, fine." Ravenpaw's fur stood on end. The border with ShadowClan was not a place for a lone ThunderClan apprentice. Sandpaw would be in serious danger if a ShadowClan patrol noticed her. "Tigerclaw thinks we might have to send a raiding party into their territory to send them a message. He wants you to tell them if enough cats have returned from patrols for an attack when you arrive."

"What is Tigerclaw doing that he can't guard the place?" Dustpelt meowed; Ravenpaw swallowed back his bitterness at Dustpelt's calm and accepting tone. After everything, no cat thought Tigerclaw was capable of treachery.

"Patrolling the rest of the border," Longtail mewed. "He thinks there might be some other places ShadowClan trespassed." Dustpelt curled his lip, and although Ravenpaw shared his disdain for ShadowClan's intrusion, worry was sparking his pelt. He knew he couldn't leave camp by himself; it would be going against Bluestar's orders, and he didn't understand why Longtail and Dustpelt could be so accepting of it just because Tigerclaw told them something else.

Just then Yellowfang slid out of Bluestar's den, and stalked up, her tail twitching urgently. "Dustpelt, I have a mission for you." Dustpelt sat straight up, his tail tip twitching and eyes narrowed. "Have you ever been to Twolegplace?"

He shook his head in disgust. "Why?"

"I need you to go there, and find some catnip. It's uncommon in the forest, but Twolegs occasionally grow some in their grass patches by their nests." Dustpelt looked at her as though she had grown a second head. "I need it for Bluestar," Yellowfang added at Dustpelt's expression. "It's an herb I haven't used for moons, but I think it will help her."

"How do you know there's catnip in Twolegplace?" Dustpelt meowed, his eyes narrowing.

"I don't," Yellowfang replied. "But it's the best chance we've got. It has soft leaves and an irresistible scent," she continued. "It's very difficult to describe if you haven't experienced it yourself, but you'll know catnip when you smell it; it's impossible to ignore and you'll want it for yourself. I need as much as you can carry, and fast."

Dustpelt nodded.

"But Tigerclaw…" Longtail trailed off.

Yellowfang retorted before Longtail could finish. "Tigerclaw will have to deal with whatever it is on his own for the moment." Ravenpaw winced even though Yellowfang's anger wasn't directed at him.

"Deal with what himself?" Cinderpaw, who had been watching the exchange by the tree stump, bounded up to the group, her tail waving excitedly.

Dustpelt silenced her with a hiss.

Longtail turned to Yellowfang, looking subdued. "But this is important. Tigerclaw scented ShadowClan on the Thunderpath. Sandpaw is waiting there now." Longtail flattened his ears. "He says Ravenpaw should join them to guard the spot so ShadowClan doesn't try anything, and if there are enough cats to form a raiding party to send word."

Yellowfang scoffed. "Why would he ask for Ravenpaw?! He knows Ravenpaw is not to leave the camp alone!"

"He said we don't have enough cats to be picky about it. It's more important for the camp to be defended by warriors."

Yellowfang snorted. "Then they'll just have to wait then. There aren't enough cats to guard the camp right now, let alone send a raiding party!" She scowled, deep in thought. Ravenpaw wondered if she was going through the cats that were out on patrol, and how many were in camp. "When Tigerclaw finishes checking the border, he will return to Sandpaw. That is what any warrior would do in this situation."

"She can handle watching the border for a bit, but we can't have an apprentice so close to ShadowClan territory for so long; she's a sitting duck right now." Dustpelt's eyes gained a nervous sheen. "There just needs to be another cat there so Sandpaw doesn't look alone. They'll be less likely to attack what looks like a patrol."

"I could go," Cinderpaw piped up.

"No," Dustpelt snapped. "He ordered Ravenpaw to join Sandpaw, not you."

"But-"

Longtail interrupted her. "He specifically asked for Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw bristled, his tail beginning to shake with fear. Longtail and Dustpelt were going to force him to go! "B- but I can't! I'm not allowed!"

"Well, some cat needs to inform them," Dustpelt pointed out.

An idea popped into Ravenpaw's head, and he turned his head to Dustpelt hopefully. "What if we both went to the Thunderpath? Once you got back from Twolegplace, we could go meet Tigerclaw and Sandpaw and hear what they have to say."

"There's no point doing that," Dustpelt argued. "We'd save time if you just went straightaway and gave them the message yourself."

"Darkstripe might be out there!" Ravenpaw protested.

"You'll be fine," Dustpelt snarled. "We chased him off!"

"But-"

Dustpelt cut him off. "You know what, Ravenpaw? Maybe we'd have better luck if you didn't have to be looked after like a helpless kit-"

"Enough!" Yellowfang spat. She jerked her head as she spoke to each cat in turn. "Dustpelt, get the catnip! Longtail, stay here and guard the camp!"

But Dustpelt was still arguing. "What about Tigerclaw and Sandpaw? Some cat has to tell them-"

"You can tell them yourself once you've brought back the catnip!" Yellowfang spat, reminding Ravenpaw of how ferocious she had looked when he first met her as a rogue.

Dustpelt let out a low growl before backing down. "Okay, fine. But they're going to have to wait a long time then." He flashed an irritated look at Yellowfang before turning and disappearing into the gorse tunnel. Longtail stalked off, curling his lip.

Ravenpaw padded alongside Cinderpaw to the apprentices' den, still shaken by Dustpelt's jibe. Was that really how Dustpelt saw him: a pathetic, useless kit, unable to care for himself? Settling himself in his nest, Ravenpaw reflexively kneaded the mossy bedding. Should he have volunteered to give Tigerclaw and Sandpaw the message? That was what a warrior would do. _Perhaps I'll never become a warrior. I'm not brave enough._ Ravenpaw blinked. Dustpelt was right- they all were. He was a coward and a mouseheart.

Ravenpaw shuffled his paws, nervousness spreading through him from ears to tail-tip. This whole situation was bad. Aside from the fact that Tigerclaw was possibly plotting to kill him, he was supposed to meet Sandpaw, and that meant she was in danger too. Ravenpaw didn't know what Tigerclaw was planning, but he knew it would bother the dark tabby if another cat was around to witness it.

Supposedly she was waiting by the burned ash tree, but what if it was a trap? Where was Sandpaw? Could Tigerclaw really be using her? Ravenpaw shook his head to himself. Tigerclaw wouldn't try to kill him in front of another cat, would he? _He wouldn't do that,_ Ravenpaw thought. _But Sandpaw is waiting for me._

A new horrifying thought materialized: what if Tigerclaw killed _Sandpaw_? Ravenpaw's pelt spiked. _Oh, StarClan no!_ Perhaps that was why Tigerclaw had asked for Ravenpaw- to frame him for murder, and make sure that his word was never trusted again, even if he was exiled. Anxiety was making Ravenpaw's mind whir with terrible possibilities, but he couldn't make it stop.

Guilt flooded through him. This was all his fault. If he wasn't such a scaredy mouse he would have jumped at the chance to help his Clanmates. Instead he was cowering in a corner while Sandpaw waited by a stinking Thunderpath in the cold.

But maybe Dustpelt was right about one thing- Darkstripe probably wasn't around. Ravenpaw fought his instinctive fear of the dark tom. _Darkstripe is gone, and Tigerclaw won't try anything with just Sandpaw there,_ he told himself. _Would he?_ Ravenpaw realized that he was shaking. The image of the pale ginger she-cat burned his mind. He would never forgive himself if Sandpaw died because of him.

Feeling as though he was observing his actions from outside his body, Ravenpaw heaved himself to his paws. He would just sneak up to the burned ash tree and see if Sandpaw was okay, tell her that a larger patrol was out of the question before the end of the day, and then he'd leave. Tigerclaw would never know he was there. He'd snuck out before, and he could do it again. His belly twisted; his insides were screaming at him to stop, and it took all his strength to ignore his reservations.

Ravenpaw crept around the back of the nursery, squeezing through the gap in the camp barrier. Hissing as thorns caught his pelt, he began to head toward the Thunderpath. Hopefully he would be back before Dustpelt brought the catnip to Yellowfang, and then his brother could make the trip across the territory without coming across him and snapping at him about how he wasted every cat's time.

Shivering, Ravenpaw crept onward. Although he tried to stay as silent as possible, his paws sounded like thunder when they met the ground in comparison to the noiseless forest. Ravenpaw picked up speed, keeping his body low.

A crackling sound met his ears. Slowing down, he felt his heartbeat thrumming in his chest. This was how it had started when Darkstripe had snuck up on him the first time. He quickened his pace, unsure what he was aiming to run for in his panic. The pawsteps continued behind him.

After a moment of frantic sprinting, his mind cleared; he needed to find a way to get back to camp. If that meant outrunning Darkstripe again, that was what he'd do. Paws thrummed closer to his now, and the sound of rustling leaves met his ears. He spun around.

Cinderpaw was watching him. Ravenpaw nearly collapsed in relief. "Great StarClan, Cinderpaw! I thought you were Darkstripe! What are you doing here?" Shaking, he sank to his haunches.

Cinderpaw answered without hesitation as she caught up. "I'm coming with you."

"Dustpelt told you not to go." Ravenpaw got up awkwardly, wondering if Cinderpaw would listen to him if he told her to go back. His heart was still pounding.

Cinderpaw shrugged. "But it'll be faster this way. Some cat needs to give them the message or they'll be waiting all night."

"You're not allowed out alone," Ravenpaw argued. He frowned. "And I'm not either for that matter."

"We're not alone- we're together," Cinderpaw pointed out, her blue eyes wide and mischievous.

Ravenpaw sighed, the cold air triggering a coughing fit. He cleared his throat, while Cinderpaw tilted her head. They were both apprentices, he figured. He couldn't order her . . . _It will take too long to bring her back anyway._

Ravenpaw continued onward, and Cinderpaw, taking his silence as an invitation to join him, gave a delighted mew and trotted up to walk at his shoulder. _Perhaps this is a good thing._ Tigerclaw would have a more difficult time killing a cat if there were more witnesses, Ravenpaw reasoned; surely the sight of Cinderpaw would make him second guess himself if he was planning anything.

The familiar smoky scent of the Thunderpath hit his nose as they neared the edge of the forest. Throat tingling, Ravenpaw let out a barking cough.

"Are you preparing yourself to face the Thunderpath by channeling a dog?" Cinderpaw teased.

Clearing his throat, Ravenpaw straightened up. "I don't know where that came from. The Thunderpath smell just burns." His throat felt oddly scratchy; he wondered why the Thunderpath wasn't having the same effect on Cinderpaw.

The Thunderpath opened up in front of them, a stinking patch of rock covered in fog. Ravenpaw ducked down at the edge of the gray stone path, peering out at the verge. There was no sign of Sandpaw.

He breathed in the air, and choked on the fumes from the Thunderpath. If Sandpaw was here, there was no way he would smell her. He'd have to see her. Waiting for a gap in the stream of monsters, Ravenpaw took a tentative step onto the Thunderpath. He shot a quick glance over his shoulder at Cinderpaw. "Stay here."

There were no monsters now, and an eerie silence hung in the air. He looked back at the edge of the path where Cinderpaw was waiting.

"See anything?" the younger apprentice called.

Ravenpaw shook his head and continued forward. The ash tree hung over the center of the path a distance away. Ravenpaw pricked his ears. That could be where Sandpaw was waiting.

The air was foggy and dense, and the smokiness made it difficult to breathe. Many monsters must have passed by here to make the air like this. Ravenpaw crept closer to the ash tree, cringing every time his paws touched the sticky path. He wondered why monsters stayed on Thunderpaths; were they so heavy that they would sink if they stepped on regular ground? Perhaps that was why-

A roar broke through his daydream. "Ravenpaw, look out!" Cinderpaw yowled.

Ravenpaw turned his head mid-heartbeat. Two enormous, glowing eyes stared him down.

_He was back in the nursery._

_Robinwing was resting outside, along with the rest of the nursery queens. Even in the midst of their conversation she gave Ravenkit an encouraging glance, motioning with her tail for him to join her. After a moment's hesitation, he nosed his way outside._

_There was thin bramble thicket by the nursery wall, one of the bushes that surrounded the camp. Ravenkit eyed it curiously. He wondered what it would be like to look down on the camp from its branches. It would be like being taller than every other ThunderClan camp. He knew he could climb it. Dustkit could climb trees by now, and he wasn't afraid. Ravenkit wouldn't be afraid either._

_Gathering his courage, Ravenkit padded up to it and scrambled up its side. He came to a rest at a thin tendril just a whisker beyond the height of his mother's eartips, and looked down. This was how the camp would look when he was a warrior._

_"_ _Look, Robinwing, I'm flying!" Balanced precariously on the spindly bramble thicket, Ravenkit fluffed out his fur._

_His mother turned her head toward him, purring. She got up, took a step toward him, and gave him a swift lick on the head._

_Ravenkit narrowed his eyes at another clump of branches, and soared across the tiny gap. He was flying..._

The eyes blinded him.

_"_ _Ravenkit, from this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ravenpaw," Bluestar meowed. "Tigerclaw will be your mentor."_

_Cheers erupted from the ThunderClan cats as Ravenpaw made his way toward his new mentor. The tom's eyes gleamed as their noses touched, and Ravenpaw barely prevented himself from shrinking back. He had to make a good first impression. But from the dark sheen in Tigerclaw's eyes he could already tell his new mentor was disappointed._

The roar swelled in his ears.

_He was in the forest now, watching as Tigerclaw sank his teeth into Redtail's throat. With a startled gasp, he turned and began to run. It couldn't be. It couldn't have happened._

The monster inched closer…

_Ravenpaw was at tree climbing practice at the Great Sycamore. He looked down through the leaves at Lionheart. "Shall we come down now?"_

_"_ _You seem to know what you're doing," Lionheart called. "Let's see if you can reach the top." Ravenpaw looked up. Even though he was halfway up the tree already, the top seemed further away than it had when he had been on the ground._

And closer...

_He was in a clearing, his pelt soaked with rain._

_"_ _Please, Dustpaw! I'm telling the truth. Wait, no!" Ravenpaw scrambled after Dustpaw as he began to pad away. "He's going to kill me," Ravenpaw whispered, frantically kneading his paws against the ground. Dustpaw turned back, his eyes cold. "It's his plan, Dustpaw. He knows I saw! He's going to kill me, I swear it. Dustpaw, please. Please don't leave." He fell into a crouch, begging, his eyes round. "Please."_

_"_ _Are you going to follow me into ShadowClan territory?" Dustpaw's icy mew pierced Ravenpaw's heart. "Although I suppose you don't need to, since you probably know your way around there by now."_

And closer...

_Darkstripe was chasing him, his eyes furious green slits._

_"Traitor!" Ravenpaw heard Darkstripe's hiss from behind him, frighteningly close now. "Thought you'd meet with ShadowClan tonight?" Suddenly he was thrown off his feet and onto the ground._

_"No! Please! I was just hunting!" But it was no use._

Was this really happening?

_Bluestar watched him with pitying eyes. "Ravenpaw, you've been under a great deal of stress lately, and now hearing about how you perceived the battle, I'm concerned. Why would Tigerclaw do such a thing?"_

Was he really about to die?

_The light of the Moonstone glowed as he touched his nose to it._

The bright white light enveloped his vision, from not the Moonstone, but the monster's eyes.

"No!" A small gray shape slammed into him from behind, and at that same moment the monster clipped his side. Then everything went dark.


	21. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, sorry I had to do that to you guys. That was an intense cliffhanger. So anyway, just thought I'd let you know updates on this will continue in November- I know I said I was putting two of my other fics on hiatus until December, but this one is already written for the most part and just needs editing every week, so it will post on Fridays as usual.

An oily scent burned Ravenpaw's nostrils. Confused, Ravenpaw opened his eyes, wondering where he was. This dark stone coated place was a strange spot to take a nap. He tried to get up, but when he moved his forelegs a sharp pain coursed across his chest, paralyzing him. Ravenpaw dug his hind claws into the ground to push himself away from where he'd woken up; wherever he was, he knew it was dangerous. _I'm on the Thunderpath,_ he realized. His thoughts were slow and jumbled. _Why am I here?_

Making his way off the verge, he came to a rest at the edge of the path. He didn't know how long he lay there, gasping from the ache in his shoulder. All he knew was the sharp tang of blood and the oily scent of the Thunderpath.

A brown striped tom was approaching him out of the corner of his vision. "What happened?" the tom meowed. It took a few heartbeats before he recognized that the mew belonged to Dustpelt. His voice was mewing things to him, but Ravenpaw didn't understand them.

Then he remembered. "Cinderpaw?" Struggling to his paws, Ravenpaw hobbled over to the small gray shape that was resting at the side of the Thunderpath, and collapsed next to her. Cinderpaw's hind leg was twisted at a sharp, unnatural angle, and a trickle of blood smeared her smudgy gray fur. Her normally exuberant blue eyes were closed; the only indication that she was still alive was the barely visible rise and fall of her chest.

Dustpelt whipped around to glare at him. "What were you thinking, bringing her out here like this?!"

"I didn't..." Ravenpaw couldn't finish. He shouldn't have let Cinderpaw follow him, even if it had been her choice. She was too young. He could only stare at her broken body, panic rising in his chest. "What do we do?"

Dustpelt silently picked Cinderpaw up by the scruff of her neck, and began to drag her in the direction of the ThunderClan camp.

"Wait!"

Dustpelt didn't respond; he disappeared into the forest with a single flick of his tail. Trembling, Ravenpaw tried to follow him, but every time he put weight on his forelegs it made his body clench in pain, and he could only move at a snail's pace. The glancing blow he'd taken from the monster had injured something- he guessed his shoulder, but it could have been a rib too. Whenever he took a step his front throbbed, the agony nearly knocking him off his feet.

He finally figured out a way to move faster. His right foreleg was causing the brunt of the pain when he set it down, so he held it up and limped unevenly. It still hurt whenever he stepped on his other foreleg though. Vaguely he recognized that if Tigerclaw wanted to kill him, now would be his chance.

The dark brown tabby warrior didn't appear though; at the halfway point a different cat burst out from the bushes. "Great StarClan, Ravenpaw, are you alright?!" Sandpaw meowed, racing forward. "Dustpelt just told me."

"Weren't you with-" he gasped- "Tigerclaw?"

"What are you talking about?" Sandpaw mewed. "He sent me back. Come on, I'll help you."

Ravenpaw didn't have the strength to answer her, and he pushed onward while Sandpaw allowed him to lean against her flank. As Ravenpaw made his way through forest, he felt his eyes growing heavier and heavier. He coughed, sending a wave of pain across his chest that seemed to radiate from his injury, and a separate one rising from deep in his throat.

Groggy and barely aware of where he was, Ravenpaw limped into the ThunderClan camp. He noticed his Clanmates go silent as he emerged from the gorse tunnel.

Sandpaw rushed away from his side, yowling something that Ravenpaw couldn't make out. Yellowfang padded out of the medicine den, mewed something to Dustpelt, who was standing beside her, and then made her way over to Ravenpaw.

"He's on his paws at least," the dark gray she-cat meowed, stepping forward to sniff his shoulder. Ravenpaw winced as Yellowfang nosed his injury. Finally she stepped away. "His shoulder is dislocated. Sandpaw, do you know what poppy seeds look like?" Sandpaw shook her head. "Never mind that; have Dustpelt show you, and bring me some." The pale ginger she-cat raced to the medicine den. Ravenpaw sighed in relief. He was going to get poppy seeds- surely that would help with the pain.

When Sandpaw returned, Yellowfang instructed Ravenpaw to lick up a few of them. A moment after he had swallowed the poppy seeds, a calm numbness began to work its way into the edge of his awareness. His shoulder still ached, but it wasn't as painful as before, and he knew it would improve further. Yellowfang looked around, and spoke to the nearest warrior. "Longtail, hold him down."

The pale tabby padded forward and pinned Ravenpaw against the ground. The feeling of being crushed filled Ravenpaw with panic. "Wait, no! What's going on?!"

"This will only hurt for a moment." Yellowfang positioned one paw on his back, the other on his foreleg.

"Wait! No! What are you-"

Ravenpaw felt a sharp snap, and then blackness flooded his vision.

* * *

He woke up to Longtail, Sandpaw, and Yellowfang staring down at him.

"What... what happened?" Ravenpaw rasped, his head buzzing.

"You fainted." Sandpaw blinked sympathetically.

Ravenpaw groaned, letting his head rest on the rain soaked ground. The pain wasn't as bad anymore, although whether it was because he had received poppy seeds or the fact that his shoulder was back in place he wasn't sure. His entire body still ached though, the same as it had before he'd been hit by the monster.

Yellowfang was talking again. Her voice sounded distant. "He should be fine. His ribs are a bit bruised, and his shoulder is going to be sore for a little bit, but aside from that he's all right. Sandpaw, bring him to the medicine den when he seems well enough to walk again. I need to get back to Cinderpaw."

The mention of Cinderpaw's name hit Ravenpaw like another Thunderpath monster. What if she died?

Longtail was watching Yellowfang hurry back to the medicine den. "Cinderpaw must be in bad shape."

Ravenpaw screwed up his eyes. If Cinderpaw died it would be all his fault! She had pushed him out of the direct path of the monster. It shouldn't have been like this: he was the older apprentice, and Cinderpaw had barely trained for a moon. _He_ should have been the one to save _her_ , not the other way around.

Sandpaw's mew broke through his thoughts. "Can you walk?"

Ravenpaw rolled over, trying to push himself onto all four paws. It wasn't as difficult as before, but his ribs still ached, and it felt like thorns were scratching his throat. With a nod, he took a step forward, and was grateful for the support from Sandpaw's shoulder as he headed through the camp.

He flopped over when he made it to the inside of the medicine den. Sandpaw pushed some bits of moss around him to form a makeshift nest. Ravenpaw glanced up at her; her green eyes were glimmering with concern. "They're going to be okay, right?" she meowed, her gaze flicking between the two injured apprentices.

Yellowfang dipped her head, not looking up from Cinderpaw. Ravenpaw watched her blearily. "Cinderpaw will get better," he murmured, drifting off to sleep. "I'll get better too."

* * *

But he didn't get better, at least not entirely. The pain of his shoulder injury eased, that was true. However, over the course of the day the ache in his throat spread down his chest, and he developed a thick, rasping cough.

He noted that Yellowfang kept him separate from Cinderpaw, and he wondered why she would want to keep him away from his friend.

Ravenpaw lost track of time; he was much too tired to notice the rising and setting of the sun. It had been two days since the accident right? Or three? Maybe more.

Yellowfang often pushed fragrant smelling leaves in front of his nose, instructing him to eat. Ravenpaw was happy to oblige; the leaves gave him an unusual cheerful feeling.

His dreams were dark. They mostly consisted of running from Darkstripe or Tigerclaw, and occasionally both of them at the same time. Redtail appeared a few times, asking Ravenpaw why he'd betrayed him. Ravenpaw usually explained that it was Tigerclaw that had killed him, but Redtail wouldn't believe him and would leap at him, and Ravenpaw would jolt awake, only to fall back into a fitful sleep shortly after. Yellowfang tried to give him prey a few times, but he could only manage a few nibbles and vomited most of it up anyways.

One time, Bluestar padded into the den. Ravenpaw only just barely recognized her scent; his sense of smell was stifled.

"Stay back." Yellowfang spoke up from the back of the den. "He has greencough, and we can't have you losing another life to it." Ravenpaw had guessed he had greencough, but it had been a mild piece of information in the back of his mind, like a random observation he'd made about a tree that would have no effect on his life. It was as though his emotions were blunted by pain; even the news that Bluestar had lost a life was met with calm acceptance.

"How are the others?" That was Bluestar's voice.

Yellowfang sighed. "Aside from Speckletail's kit you mean? They're improving. The only cat I'm worried about is him. His fever hasn't broken in days, and he's not responding to borage and feverfew. I'm running out of catnip as well; this is my last bunch."

There was a long silence. "I'll see to it that more catnip gets collected. You said Dustpelt found some before?"

There was another moment of silence. Ravenpaw couldn't see them, but he guessed Yellowfang had nodded. "Yes, he'll know where to find it."

The sound of pawsteps echoed through the den, and then it was quiet. Yellowfang once again padded up to him, carrying a pile of leaves. Ravenpaw wondered if she knew he'd heard her discussing his imminent death as she mewed directly into his ear. "Eat this."

Ravenpaw nodded, and fell into a deep sleep as soon as he'd eaten them, barely registering their pungent taste.

* * *

He was dreaming again. This time he was at Sunningrocks. The smooth stones reflected the harsh light of the green-leaf sun, while birdsong filled the air.

"It's a fine day, isn't it?" Ravenpaw turned toward the friendly mew. Redtail was standing a fox-length away from him; the tortoiseshell tom's red patches were blinding in the sun. "We'll be able to catch plenty of prey for the fresh-kill pile in this weather." Redtail began to walk toward the forest, and Ravenpaw felt his fur chill with foreboding. "What are you waiting for?" the tortoiseshell tom called, his tail held high. "Come on!"

Redtail set off at a run. Ravenpaw followed, wanting more than anything to steer him away from his fate, but found that he couldn't speak. He knew it was only a matter of time before Tigerclaw pounced at Redtail from the trees.

They headed toward the edge of the woods and sure enough, Tigerclaw was creeping up like a shadow. Ravenpaw tried to yowl a warning, but his mouth refused to open. Redtail stepped along lightly until the dark brown tabby tom exploded out of the darkness, clamping down on Redtail's throat. The tortoiseshell tom fell limp.

Only then was Ravenpaw able to call out. "No!"

Tigerclaw turned, still holding Redtail's lifeless body in his jaws. His amber eyes locked with Ravenpaw's. He dropped the tortoiseshell tom onto the ground and began to charge.

Spinning around, Ravenpaw churned his paws against the smooth forest floor. He tried to run faster, but somehow his legs were stuck in slow motion. He flashed a glance over his shoulder. Tigerclaw was advancing rapidly, and it was a matter of moments before he caught up. Ravenpaw made a renewed attempt to sprint away but it was no use- his paws weren't responding to his brain.

Ravenpaw felt as though he'd been running for days, but the dark tabby still hadn't reached him. He looked back. Tigerclaw was gone.

He turned around. Tigerclaw appeared in front of him, his massive claws extended. Ravenpaw let out a shriek.

His dream faded, leaving a calm nothingness in its wake.

* * *

Ravenpaw didn't know how much later it was when he woke up to a bright light shining against his eye lids. He was having trouble keeping track of time. Perhaps it was morning. Opening his eyes a tiny peek, Ravenpaw noticed a cat standing in the entrance to the medicine den, and his eyes flew open in shock.

The tom's fur was illuminated by a bright patch of sunlight. He was sitting at the far end of the den, looking down at a sleeping gray she-cat. Something about him seemed familiar- his strong limbs, his amber eyes. Then Ravenpaw realized- this tom had to be his father!

"Fuzzypelt?"

"I..." Fuzzypelt jerked his head around. Oddly, his fur was striped brown, which didn't seem right, but Ravenpaw supposed it was a trick of the sun. The tom looked very much like his father otherwise.

"I'm sorry, Fuzzypelt." Ravenpaw blinked, trying to focus on his father. "I should have said something when it first happened."

Fuzzypelt blinked. "When what happened?"

"When..." Ravenpaw coughed, hoping he wouldn't die before he could make his confession. "When Redtail died. I was a coward." It was strange how Fuzzypelt's fur didn't seem as spiky as he remembered it. The tom didn't speak, so Ravenpaw kept going. "It was Tigerclaw, you know. I mean... I'm sure you know, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry. Redtail deserved better. He's..." Ravenpaw gulped. "He's not angry with me, is he?"

Fuzzypelt shook his head. Ravenpaw breathed in, taking in his father's scent. He didn't actually remember it since he barely had any recollection of Fuzzypelt, and his sense of smell had been off for the last few days, but the scent was familiar, a bit like his own.

His father looked so young. It gladdened Ravenpaw that cats seemed to get their youth back when they died; Fuzzypelt had been quite old when Ravenpaw had been born. "Why..." The brown tabby tom paused. "Why don't you get some more sleep, Ravenpaw?"

"Aren't you here to take me to StarClan?" Ravenpaw murmured, closing his eyes.

"No."

Ravenpaw felt himself drifting off again. "Well that's good."

"You're going to be fine," Fuzzypelt choked out. Exhausted, Ravenpaw shut his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


	22. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are roughly 5-7 chapters left in Broken Destinies if you were wondering- I know at this point in Book 1 things were getting intense, but Book 2's arc is ending up a good few thousand words longer.

Ravenpaw wasn't sure how much later it was when he opened his eyes again. He was in the medicine den. It was dim, but not pitch black. Ravenpaw sniffed the air, and picked up the smell of fresh rain.

"Good morning, Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw looked up. An exhausted looking Yellowfang was separating piles of herbs in the far corner of her den.

Confused, Ravenpaw struggled to put words together. "What... what day is it?"

"The Gathering is in a few days. That's if it actually happens. I wouldn't be surprised if it rains that night. It's been storming for the last quarter moon on and off."

Ravenpaw watched as she continued to organize the herbs. His throat didn't ache anymore, and when he turned his head he realized he was the only in the den. The other cats with greencough must have recovered. _Or died,_ Ravenpaw realized with a shudder.

Distracted by the thought, he didn't notice Yellowfang leave, but soon she slipped back inside carrying a tiny piece of fresh-kill. "Here, eat this." Yellowfang dropped the shrew in front of him, and Ravenpaw suddenly noticed the pang of hunger in his belly. He bit into the shrew, demolishing it in two bites. "Well, that's a change." Yellowfang's whiskers twitched.

"Can I have more?" he asked hopefully. "If we're low on prey, it's fine," he added, noticing her surprised look.

Yellowfang shook her head. "Not just yet. I don't want you getting ill from overeating. That's the most you've gotten down in over a quarter moon."

Ravenpaw squinted at the walls of the den as they lapsed into silence. He was still weak, but he could feel his energy returning little by little. For some reason he thought of Tigerclaw; what would his mentor think of his survival? Ravenpaw couldn't imagine having to train with him again, and pushed that worry away to call back later. He tensed his muscles, trying to stand up.

Yellowfang held out her tail. "You may feel a bit better now, but you have a long way to go before you're ready to train again."

Relieved, Ravenpaw sat back down. "What happened to all the sick cats?"

"Most of them are fine. Swiftpaw and Patchpelt are better, though the kits died a day after you fell ill."

"I remember that. You were talking to Bluestar."

Nodding, Yellowfang set a clump of herbs down and began to separate them. Ravenpaw blinked; she was sorting the shriveled herbs into a separate heap from the fresher usable ones.

The silence clung to the air like mist. Ravenpaw studied his paws. The other cats had recovered, but there was one cat Yellowfang hadn't mentioned.

A chill coursed through his pelt. "Where is Cinderpaw?"

"Outside," Yellowfang answered, not looking up from her sorting.

"How is she? Is she okay?" Ravenpaw tried to leap to his paws, and succeeded at stumbling over his legs and flopping over. Concentrating more this time, he heaved himself up to a sitting position. Yellowfang wasn't saying anything, and Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Finally, the elderly medicine cat sighed. "She's going to live, if that's what you're asking. She recovered quite well- she just needs to keep doing her exercises for her leg." There was a dark undertone to her mew.

Ravenpaw was confused; why was he getting the feeling that Yellowfang was leaving something out? Then he remembered how Cinderpaw had looked after being hit by the monster, broken and bloody on the Thunderpath. "What is it?"

Yellowfang's growl was blunt. "Ravenpaw, Cinderpaw's leg was terribly injured. She will never be able to walk on it again."

Recoiling in shock, Ravenpaw had to prevent himself from tipping over. _It can't be true!_ "But you said she had exercises! Why would she have exercises if she won't get better?!"

"It's for the pain mostly. She needs to at least be able to get around the camp." Yellowfang's words seemed to echo from a long distance away. "Cinderpaw will never be a warrior."

Ravenpaw was stunned silent. "But- but you're a medicine cat," he choked finally. "Y- you can still cure her. There must be herbs…"

Shaking her head, Yellowfang shut her eyes. "There are some things all the herbs in the world cannot help us with."

After a long moment Ravenpaw found his voice again. "No." Abandoning his attempts to stand, he curled up into a ball.

It couldn't be. Cinderpaw had pushed him out of the direct path of the monster. If he had been hit, he probably would have died. Ravenpaw pushed back a wave of guilt. This was all his fault! He should have sent Cinderpaw back to camp the heartbeat he'd noticed her following him, not allowed her to tag along!

It was so unfair! Cinderpaw had shown so much promise, and now all she could do was sit around the camp for the rest of her life. She would probably have to move into the elders' den.

_It should have been me._ He was probably going to take seasons to earn his warrior name yet, and he wasn't even that good at hunting and fighting, but somehow he was okay and Cinderpaw wasn't.

"I have to see her." Legs trembling from the effort, Ravenpaw stood.

Yellowfang shook her head, though her orange eyes had a sympathetic gleam. "You need rest. Lay down for a bit, and then I'll get you a mouse"

"I have to see her," Ravenpaw rasped again, padding on unsteady legs toward the entrance and out of the medicine den, and this time Yellowfang made no move to stop him.

She sighed, narrowing her eyes. "Don't be too long."

Ravenpaw acknowledged her with a nod, and taking a deep breath, took a step toward the entrance. Cats looked up in surprise as he emerged into the clearing. Frostfur was watching him sadly from the nursery; Ravenpaw wondered if she blamed him for Cinderpaw's injury, just like she had blamed him for her kits' disappearance although ShadowClan was responsible. But Ravenpaw knew this time was different. It _was_ his fault, not Tigerclaw's. He had gotten it into his head that he could be brave and make sure Sandpaw was alright, and Cinderpaw had paid the price.

Bluestar was sitting by the warriors' den with Whitestorm. She caught Ravenpaw's eye and gave him a warm nod, which Ravenpaw returned cautiously. She had been so angry with him the last time they'd spoken, and yet from what he remembered, she'd been terribly concerned when he had been on the verge of death. He wondered if vaguely if his punishment still stood and he was still confined to camp- not that he would have minded, even if had been capable of walking more than a few tail lengths at a time. If anything, he deserved punishment more now.

Scanning the camp, he finally spotted the familiar gray she-cat. Cinderpaw was resting in a patch of sunlight. She began to stretch out her twisted hind leg as Ravenpaw approached, but stopped abruptly when she noticed him. "Ravenpaw, you're awake!"

Ravenpaw was unprepared for her bright mew; he had expected her to want nothing to do with him. He sat down beside her. "I have been awake," he mewed. "I just don't remember that much."

"Well, I'm glad to see you." She paused, her gaze becoming serious. "A lot of cats thought you weren't going to make it."

"I think cats thought that about you too. I'm glad you're okay." Ravenpaw instantly regretted his words.

Cinderpaw was silent. "I will be okay, won't I?" Her voice shook. "I just need to stretch my leg out more."

Ravenpaw nodded, hoping against hope that what she said would be true.

Her eyes gained their normal mischievous gleam. "When we get back to training we can go catch another pheasant together."

"Yeah," Ravenpaw agreed, awkwardly shifting his paws. Did Cinderpaw know she would never train again? And did she blame him? If she did he couldn't tell.

They sat in silence together, watching the cats go about their day all around them. Goldenflower and Speckletail were sharing tongues by the nursery while Runningwind, Longtail, and Swiftpaw padded to the fresh-kill pile, each dropping a piece of prey on top of it. They then turned around and left the camp. As they loped past, Ravenpaw noticed Brindleface sitting behind them, now with two kits playing beside her instead of four.

"Where is Graystripe?" Ravenpaw meowed, spotting Brackenpaw resting by the apprentices' den with his head on his paws.

Cinderpaw shrugged. "I'm not sure. He was here this morning." Ravenpaw nodded absently. He wanted to talk to his friend since he hadn't seen him in days. _And Sandpaw too._ Had the she-cat been part of Tigerclaw's plan at all? It could have been his mind playing tricks on him in his panic, and if Tigerclaw wouldn't have killed Sandpaw, Cinderpaw's injury was even more pointless. Ravenpaw reflexively dug his claws into the ground, unable to bear the thought.

Dustpelt headed into the camp, along with Sandpaw. They each carried prey, and Sandpaw raised her tail in greeting in Ravenpaw's direction. At least she was happy to see him, while he couldn't say the same for Dustpelt. Snorting in disgust, Dustpelt dropped a mouse onto the fresh-kill pile, and loped to the warriors' den, stiff legged. His eyes held a gleam of… something. Ravenpaw tilted his head. He couldn't put a word to the emotion in his brother's gaze.

Trying to ignore his brother's apparent irritation, Ravenpaw curled his tail around his paws.

"Dustpelt was worried about you, you know." Cinderpaw tilted her head.

"Really?" Ravenpaw blinked in surprise. _I wouldn't have guessed._

"He wouldn't say anything, but he visited you a few times."

Ravenpaw frowned, a memory of a brown cat edging around the edge of his consciousness. "I don't remember that."

Dustpelt had never seemed to care much about Ravenpaw's well being; early on in his apprentice days, Ravenpaw had sometimes suspected that if he suddenly disappeared, Dustpelt would have been perfectly happy to live his life as he always had, and never mention the fact that he had a brother again. Perhaps Dustpelt was just visiting him out of a sense of obligation. Ravenpaw sighed, shifting his paws. They had never been close, and it didn't appear like that was going to change anytime soon, yet Ravenpaw couldn't help but feel a prickle of sadness in his belly. Dustpelt was watching him from inside the warriors' den, but when Ravenpaw met his eyes he looked away.

Graystripe suddenly emerged from behind the nursery, and Ravenpaw wondered why the gray warrior was there. He didn't usually visit the kits, and he wasn't close with any of the queens. His long gray pelt bristling against the cold, Graystripe made his way over to Ravenpaw.

"Ravenpaw! Good seeing you on your paws again!" Graystripe's tail curled up in surprise as he abruptly noticed Cinderpaw; the gray tom visibly winced, and Ravenpaw felt a pang of sympathy. Graystripe looked as though he wished he could eat his words.

Cinderpaw ignored Graystripe's awkwardness though, and replied without missing a beat. "He'll be hunting adders again before you know it!" She gave Ravenpaw a friendly swipe with a forepaw.

Ducking his head, Ravenpaw shrugged. "That was seasons ago, and it was really just luck."

"Oh come on, Ravenpaw, give yourself some credit," Graystripe meowed. "You've made some really good catches."

Ravenpaw purred, happiness flooding his chest in spite of the knowledge of Cinderpaw's injury at the forefront of his mind.

"You know, Ravenpaw," Graystripe meowed. "You've missed quite a bit recently. ShadowClan is being scented in our territory every other day now."

"And RiverClan," Cinderpaw piped up. "We almost invaded them apparently."

"How did we 'almost invade' RiverClan?" Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes.

"Well, it's a long story." Graystripe began to explain the happenings of ThunderClan since Ravenpaw had fallen ill. Apparently ShadowClan was regularly crossing the border and had been scented as far as the Owltree, and RiverClan had been trespassing on Sunningrocks as well; Bluestar had ordered a border raid that had only been stopped when the icy river thawed. Ravenpaw almost thought he imagined it, but Graystripe seemed to skim over RiverClan's trespassing.

"At least there's been no sign of Darkstripe, right?" Ravenpaw asked when Graystripe paused for breath.

"Actually…" Graystripe flicked his tail. "Yes, but not anything significant." The fur on Ravenpaw's spine stood up. Graystripe seemed perfectly calm for some reason. "His scent was found by the Thunderpath a few days ago, but it was probably carried by the wind. There was too much ShadowClan scent in the air to really tell." The gray warrior shrugged, while Ravenpaw tried to flatten his bristling fur. "It's fine, Ravenpaw, really," Graystripe reassured him. "Bluestar is taking every precaution, and there are already multiple patrols passing by each border every day." Ravenpaw tried to let Graystripe's reasoning soothe him, but it was difficult. He didn't want to think about Darkstripe.

Just then, Tigerclaw walked into the camp, his tail held high. Ravenpaw wanted to duck away, but he couldn't move fast enough. Tigerclaw caught his eye, and to Ravenpaw's horror, began to stalk up to him.

"It seems that _someone_ is feeling better." Ravenpaw said nothing. He could only stare at his mentor. "And shouldn't you be training Brackenpaw?" Tigerclaw demanded, turning to face Graystripe.

"I was about to get him." Graystripe's reply was just a bit too quick.

"Then you do that." Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes.

The gray warrior dipped his head at Tigerclaw. "See you later, you two." Graystripe waved his tail at Ravenpaw and Cinderpaw, and then headed toward the apprentices' den.

Curling his lip, Tigerclaw fixed his amber gaze on Ravenpaw for a long heartbeat before he stalked away.

Ravenpaw turned and saw Cinderpaw shrug. Her leg rested uselessly beside her, and Ravenpaw swallowed back a pang of anger. Tigerclaw had done this. He had caused Cinderpaw's injury. He had almost certainly been trying to kill Ravenpaw. Blood roared in Ravenpaw's ears as Tigerclaw settled himself next to Bluestar, and the ThunderClan leader greeted him warmly.

Cinderpaw tilted her head. "He doesn't like you, does he?"

Ravenpaw was saved from answering by Yellowfang; the dark gray she-cat had padded up as Tigerclaw had loped off. "You've spent enough time out and about today," she meowed.

"Aw, please can he stay, Yellowfang?" Cinderpaw pleaded.

Yellowfang's eyes were stern, but warm at the same time. "Have you finished your exercises?"

"Yes!" Cinderpaw's reply was quick, and Yellowfang gave her a sharp stare. "Okay, I didn't. But I'll finish them later."

"Then later is when you can see Ravenpaw in the medicine den, once he's had a nap and a good meal, and once you've finished your exercises." Ravenpaw opened his mouth to protest, but Yellowfang cut him off before he could start. Her voice was an amused purr. "Go back to the medicine den; I didn't cure you of greencough only for you to die of exhaustion."

Lifting his paws, Ravenpaw nodded. He was tired; although he had just woken up he felt as though he could sleep for a moon.


	23. Chapter 22

As Yellowfang had predicted, the Gathering didn't happen. Icy rain fell on the night of the full moon, like it had many nights before it. Ravenpaw was starting to tire of the freezing cold that had settled in the air. He almost wished that it would snow even though he knew all the prey would hide in their burrows. His thin sleek fur would provide better protection against a dry cold blizzard than freezing rain.

The next few mornings the sky was thick with dark gray clouds. Yellowfang started allowing him to sleep in the apprentices' den, although he was still under orders to have absolutely no training.

Ravenpaw was recovering, slowly but surely. Cinderpaw too was improving, although her leg would never be the same.

Ravenpaw always felt a pang of guilt whenever he saw the younger cat working on her leg exercises, and he knew that everything she was going through was in vain. Her leg would never recover, she would never become a warrior, and sometime in the next few moons she would move to the elders' den, where she would live out the rest of her life as a 'paw.

It was something he thought about even more as his strength improved. He saw Dustpelt visit Cinderpaw often, and had tried to talk to his brother a few times at first, but Dustpelt always seemed on edge whenever Ravenpaw made an appearance.

Yellowfang soon cleared him to leave the camp for short walks. Thankfully Tigerclaw was never the cat to take him; Yellowfang insisted on accompanying him herself. They spoke little, and sometimes Ravenpaw helped her gather herbs that grew nearby.

Bluestar had spoken to him a day after he'd woken up. Ravenpaw was eating a sparrow when she entered the medicine den. "Ravenpaw, it is good to see you're doing better," she meowed, dipping her head. "How are you feeling?"

Caught off guard by his leader's sudden appearance, Ravenpaw swallowed his food and stared before he thought of a response. "Alright, I suppose."

There was a surprising amount of warmth in Bluestar's eyes as she turned to Yellowfang. "How long until he can continue his training?"

"Half a moon at least, and I think that would be pushing it," Yellowfang replied from her spot where she was organizing herbs. She padded up to the front of the den. "He needs to build up his strength again, especially with the cold weather coming."

"Yes, snow is due anytime now." Bluestar stayed and talked with Yellowfang for a bit, mostly about the preparations that needed to be made for the coldest part of leaf-bare. Ravenpaw lingered, taking the time to pick his sparrow clean. Bluestar didn't say anything regarding his punishment, but Ravenpaw guessed she figured he had gone through enough when she didn't object to Yellowfang's suggestion of taking him outside the camp.

After Bluestar left, Ravenpaw spent the rest of the day pondering her words. Perhaps he'd get a warrior ceremony soon; why else would Bluestar ask about his training?

* * *

 

A few days before the new moon, Ravenpaw decided he should hunt with Graystripe. They still hadn't found the time since Graystripe had earned his warrior name, and it left Ravenpaw with a niggling pang of self-doubt. What if Graystripe was avoiding him? Ravenpaw dismissed the thought with a flick of his tail. Graystripe was just busy. The gray warrior was always friendly, even though he didn't have time to talk to Ravenpaw much anymore. Even if Graystripe had a lot to do they could still get in a quick hunt near the camp by sunfall.

From his spot by the fallen oak, Ravenpaw stood up and glanced around, hearing snippets of his Clanmates' mews as they shared tongues in the weak sunlight, and saw Cinderpaw settled near the center of the camp. He padded past, waving his tail in half-hearted greeting. Cinderpaw twitched her ears back. Despite the brightness in her eyes whenever they spoke, Ravenpaw couldn't help but worry that she was angry with him.

Wondering if one of the other apprentices would know if Graystripe had left the camp, Ravenpaw headed to the apprentices' den. When he pushed his way inside, Sandpaw, Swiftpaw, and Brackenpaw were there. "I was thinking of hunting with Graystripe." Ravenpaw flicked his ears as Brackenpaw looked up. "Do you know where he might have gone?"

Brackenpaw shook his head. "Sorry, I don't know."

"I think he went hunting by himself a little bit ago," Swiftpaw meowed.

Sandpaw arched her back in a stretch. "I'm up for a hunting trip if you want."

"I need a warrior to come with." Ravenpaw shrugged apologetically.

Sandpaw snorted, twisting her head around so that the bitterness in her pale green eyes was less visible. "A warrior, of course," she muttered to herself, and then blinked. "You're not still being punished after almost dying?"

Ravenpaw shrugged. "Not really. I think Bluestar let my punishment fall by the wayside. She's just concerned about-"

"Darkstripe," Sandpaw finished for him. She let out a growl. "I swear it by StarClan, if I ever see that cat again I'm going to tear him to shreds. It's so unfair how he's made you have to look behind every leaf and tree to make sure he isn't there."

Surprised at her anger on his behalf, Ravenpaw twitched his ears. "Hopefully he doesn't show up."

"For Darkstripe's sake, he'd better not," Sandpaw meowed darkly, as she turned around and rested her chin on her paws.

Ravenpaw ducked out of the apprentices' den, squinting as a beam of sunlight hit him from a gap in the clouds. Why did it seem that Graystripe was _always_ gone? They had barely exchanged words since Ravenpaw had recovered enough to leave the medicine den. _Before that even,_ Ravenpaw realized. Graystripe had been acting dubious since shortly after Brackenpaw had been apprenticed.

As though summoned by Ravenpaw's thoughts, Graystripe squeezed out of the warriors' den, giving his chest a quick lick. Ravenpaw wondered why he hadn't thought to check the warriors' den first as Graystripe began to head toward the gorse tunnel.

Hopefulness giving his paws energy, Ravenpaw trotted up to the gray warrior and intercepted him a tail-length from the edge of camp.

"Hey there, Ravenpaw." Graystripe's mew sounded forced as he skidded to a halt. "Good to see you're doing better."

Frowning at his friend's odd tone, Ravenpaw tilted his head. "Would you like to hunt with me? I can leave the camp as long as I'm with another cat and stay within a few tree-lengths."

Graystripe was already shaking his head rapidly. "Sorry, I have a patrol-"

A growl interrupted him. "You! What do you think you're doing?" Tigerclaw loped up, and Ravenpaw instinctively shrank away. To his confusion the great deputy was staring not at him, but at Graystripe.

The gray warrior nearly tripped over his paws in surprise. "Hunting."

" _Hunting_ ," Tigerclaw sneered, "without your apprentice, who has been sitting in camp all day doing nothing?" Several cats looked up from sharing tongues.

Graystripe gulped. "I was going to take him later."

Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes. "It almost seems as though you always have better things to do than to see to your mentoring duties." Tigerclaw glared; Graystripe stared back defiantly. "Do you think training your apprentice is a chore? Because Bluestar can certainly see to it that Brackenpaw receives a mentor that doesn't leave him in camp all the time."

"I said I'd take him." Graystripe's challenging mew made Ravenpaw want to hide in a corner and shut his ears. What was Graystripe thinking, talking back to Tigerclaw like that?!

"I think you're going to take him now," Tigerclaw hissed. "You and Brackenpaw can join Whitestorm and Sandpaw on the dusk patrol. Perhaps that will make you take your mentoring duties seriously."

"Yes, Tigerclaw." Looking like he wanted to add in a sharp remark, Graystripe took a step toward the apprentices' den. Ravenpaw watched his friend leave, and without a second glance Tigerclaw whipped around and strode out the gorse tunnel. Shuddering, Ravenpaw smoothed the spiking fur on his shoulder with an anxious lick.

Could Graystripe dislike Brackenpaw? Was that why he avoided training the golden brown tom? Somehow Ravenpaw knew that was not the case; Graystripe and Brackenpaw had seemed to enjoy each other's company the few times Ravenpaw saw them together. Graystripe's behavior didn't make sense. He had been about to claim he was needed on patrol to get out of hunting with Ravenpaw.

And Tigerclaw's anger had been focused on Graystripe; he hadn't so much as looked at Ravenpaw. Why was Tigerclaw avoiding him? Was it because his plan to kill his apprentice had gone wrong or had the whole thing been Ravenpaw's imagination? Ravenpaw gave his head a shake. Wondering whether Tigerclaw was actually planning to kill him all the time was making his head hurt.

He was unsure what to do, and found himself approaching the medicine den. Yellowfang really wasn't a terrible cat to talk to, he mused. She could be a bit sharp tongued, but he didn't fear her like he used to. Perhaps he could ask if he could help collect herbs.

Voices were echoing from inside the den. Ravenpaw padded up slowly, hesitant to interrupt them. "I'm worried about her," Yellowfang was meowing. "It's been difficult for her, seeing the other apprentices training go on."

A growl of frustration hit Ravenpaw's ears. "She _should_ be out training right now," Dustpelt murmured, "not sitting around the camp." There was a long silence. As Ravenpaw stepped forward he heard a pained whisper: "What is going to happen to her?"

"I don't know," Yellowfang's voice responded. Ravenpaw felt a chill run through his fur as the realization hit him- they were talking about Cinderpaw. "I've been having her help with organizing my herb stores; at least it's something to do."

"Isn't that a bit unfair, asking her to put up with your mewing all day?" Dustpelt mewed dryly.

"Ha ha, very funny. I'd say it's an improvement on your mewing."

"Oh please, get over yourself." Ravenpaw couldn't hear the words anymore. He was considering squeezing through the entrance when their mewing turned serious again. Ravenpaw dared to peek inside the medicine den. Both cats were still huddled together.

Dustpelt was speaking. "This shouldn't have happened. I just can't believe it- Cinderpaw had so much potential and now it's gone." He paused, sinking his claws into the sandy floor of the den. "I can't believe Ravenpaw let her come with him. Did he seriously think having Cinderpaw along was going to protect him if he ran into Darkstripe?" He broke off, fuming, as Ravenpaw stood rigidly at the den entrance.

Yellowfang let out a long sigh and rested her tail on Dustpelt's shoulder. "I know you, Dustpelt," she meowed soberly. "And I know that you know that this isn't Ravenpaw's fault."

Ravenpaw could see Dustpelt sitting beside Yellowfang in the shadows, his shoulders tense. "Oh, really."

"No cat could have predicted this." Yellowfang sounded wearier than Ravenpaw had ever heard. "It was a terrible accident."

"Yes, one that could have been prevented!" Dustpelt spat. Shame rose like bile in Ravenpaw's throat. Dustpelt was right; Cinderpaw shouldn't have been anywhere near the Thunderpath, and the blame rested on Ravenpaw no matter what any cat said. "Yellowfang, what future will she ever have here? Barely eight moons old and already having to move to the elders' den."

"We will figure something out. Bluestar will find a place for her."

After a silence that seemed to last a moon, Dustpelt rolled his eyes. "And Ravenpaw doesn't help. He's always talking to Cinderpaw."

"I do believe they're allowed to talk to each other without your permission," Yellowfang put in, twitching her whiskers.

Dustpelt kept going. "And he tries to talk to me-"

"Why shouldn't he? He is your littermate, is he not? I would have guessed that he was a rabid badger from the way you refer to him." Narrowing her eyes slyly, Yellowfang tilted her head. "What _is_ so terrible about listening to Ravenpaw? You've been avoiding that cat for moons."

Sighing, Dustpelt tilted his head back. "He told me something..." Dustpelt let out a low growl. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."

"You didn't listen to him." Yellowfang's mew was a statement, not a question.

"Because it was a lie!" Dustpelt snarled in a rush. "He just gets these absurd ideas in his head and can't stop thinking about them! That's probably why he's still an apprentice after all these moons; he's terrified of being hurt to the point that he can't fight at all!" Ravenpaw flinched at the truth in his mew.

"Listen Dustpelt," Yellowfang meowed seriously. "Maybe Ravenpaw is cut out to be a warrior, maybe he isn't, but if there's one thing I've learned in my life it's that not every cat takes the same path. Some follow the trail laid down by their ancestors. Some find their own way, for better or worse. Warriors aren't necessarily made in battle, Dustpelt, remember that."

There was a long silence. Ravenpaw looked up at the clouds bounding across the sky. Finally, Dustpelt let out a bone-weary sigh. "I think I'm going hunting. Do you want something?"

Yellowfang's voice switched back to a teasing mew. "You haven't brought me any voles lately-" They began to discuss prey options, and before Dustpelt could emerge from the medicine den Ravenpaw moved out of the entrance in a swift bound.

Sunlight pooled at the center of the camp, a welcome change from the near constant rain. Padding up to it, Ravenpaw shook out his fur, taking in the sun's warmth. Clouds rolled across the sky, promising more rain; this might be the last time to sun himself before newleaf. And there was no way he could hunt now, not after what he'd just heard. Cinderpaw's condition was his fault, and it wasn't just that...

Although he knew Dustpelt was just angry about Cinderpaw's injury, Ravenpaw couldn't help but take his words to heart. Dustpelt was right that Ravenpaw was terrible at fighting. He didn't want to think about what would happen in a true battle. What if he ran away from his enemies in a panic, leaving his Clanmates defenseless? He was so used to running away, but warriors needed to stand and fight too. _But I have fought in battles before,_ he reminded himself.  But thinking back, he remembered that instead of bravely leaping into the fight, his focus was on avoiding getting hurt first, and driving off enemies second. 

Yellowfang's mew echoed in his ears: _Warriors aren't necessarily made in battle._ He didn't understand what Yellowfang meant, but her words had calmed him. But she couldn't have meant that a warrior shouldn't be able to fight… right? The advice must have had some deeper meaning. Perhaps she meant a cat like him without fighting instinct could earn a warrior name as long as they put in effort. _Maybe._ Ravenpaw was certain there was some hidden wisdom in her advice, but he was struggling to figure out what it was.

Thinking back to after Darkstripe had attacked him for the first time, Ravenpaw reflected that it seemed like so long ago, even though it had only been a few moons. He remembered when he had thought about his Clan and his loyalty, how he had been so sure afterwards that he could truly make something of himself. Now the doubt was creeping back.

But there was something else edging its way into his consciousness too, a feeling that he shouldn't let his fear control him. Yet his most common emotions were fear and anxiety; as long as he could remember he had been driven by worry, and now a single, terrible worry loomed at the forefront of his mind.

How would he become a warrior if he feared battle?


	24. Chapter 23

When ThunderClan arrived at Fourtrees, the scent of WindClan hung in the air. Standing at the edge of the ridge, Ravenpaw realized that he was out of breath from a run that he would have made easily before he'd gotten greencough. The last moon had passed in a haze, and Yellowfang had only cleared him to return to a full training schedule the previous day. Although he wasn't looking forward to spending time with Tigerclaw, Ravenpaw figured that once he started training every day again his endurance would improve. Strangely, Tigerclaw hadn't once tried to convince Yellowfang to let Ravenpaw continue with his apprentice duties before he was ready.

Unfortunately, it was clear that Tigerclaw's training sessions were about to resume with their same intensity as before. On the way to Fourtrees, Ravenpaw had fallen behind the rest of the Clan, and Tigerclaw had stormed back to fetch him.

"You!" he'd snapped. "What are you doing, sniffing every twig and leaf that cross your path?! Hurry up! We don't have all night! Bluestar and the rest of the Clan are waiting for you!"

"I'm coming, Tigerclaw!" Ravenpaw panted, making an effort to pick up the pace. The trek to Fourtrees would have been fine if he hadn't been expected to make the same time as he used to. His sides were aching.

"You're lucky she's willing to wait," Tigerclaw growled, falling into step beside him. "If I were in charge I wouldn't be so charitable to a leech like you! You can't keep up even after lazing about the camp for a moon!" Ravenpaw bowed his head. Tigerclaw pulled ahead, and looked back over his shoulder to glare menacingly at Ravenpaw as he left. "And don't think you're getting out of training tomorrow just because you got to go to the Gathering!"

Slipping over his paws, Ravenpaw nodded. "Yes, Tigerclaw."

It was difficult to hear anything besides Tigerclaw's disdain filled voice now. Ravenpaw had almost forgotten how fear inducing his mentor was after a peaceful moon of barely speaking with him.

Sometimes he would think of how calm the last moon had been, and guilt would hit him like a thorn-sharp claw. Dustpelt's argument with Yellowfang echoed in his ears at random. His brother was right; he _was_ responsible for Cinderpaw's injury, and because of his actions Cinderpaw would be crippled for life. He shouldn't be so happy not training, not when he had taken away Cinderpaw's future.

Now though, Ravenpaw tried to focus on the Gathering. Bluestar would give the signal any moment now. Trying to distract himself from thoughts of Cinderpaw, he weaved his way through the ThunderClan cats so that he stood between Graystripe and Dustpelt. Relaxing when his brother didn't shift away, he squinted down at the clearing, noticing a black tom with a twisted foot, and beside him, a long tailed black and white tom. "I know that tom is Deadfoot. But is that who I think it is?" Ravenpaw angled his ears toward the warrior.

"I forgot you've never seen Tallstar before," Dustpelt replied. "Yes, that's him."

Ravenpaw wondered what to say next; this was the first time in a moon he'd had a pleasant conversation with Dustpelt. Unable to think of anything, he decided to stay silent, and shifted his gaze across the clearing again.

"I wonder how Morningflower's kit is settling in," Graystripe meowed. Dustpelt murmured agreement.

A familiar voice called out; Ravenpaw pricked his ears, wondering why he would recognize a mew that came from within the hollow before he recalled how he'd run from the WindClan cats on his way to the Moonstone. That voice belonged to a WindClan cat; it must have been one of the warriors that chased him off their territory. A drop of anxiety hung in his chest. He hadn't clearly been seen on WindClan territory, but what if they recognized him by scent? He'd never gotten around to telling Bluestar about his run in with WindClan, and now he wished he had.

The thought flashed through his mind as Bluestar flicked her tail, and the ThunderClan patrol bounded down the slope to the Gathering place. Ravenpaw kept pace with Dustpelt as the ThunderClan and WindClan cats mixed together. Before Ravenpaw knew what happened, Graystripe had vanished into the crowd, and he was left lingering next to Dustpelt.

"Well, would you look who we have here?" Dustpelt loped up to a brown WindClan tom. "How have you been, Onewhisker?" Ravenpaw followed him, pelt twitching, and hoped that this cat didn't recognize him.

The brown tom purred. "I'm well. The whole Clan is well. It's great eating rabbit again." Onewhisker angled his ears toward Ravenpaw. "Who's that?"

"Who?"

Onewhisker twitched his tail. "The tom standing right behind you."

"Oh, him." Dustpelt sighed. He clearly hadn't wanted to introduce Ravenpaw to his WindClan acquaintances. "This is Ravenpaw. He's-"

"A trespasser!" A mottled brown tom sprang up to the group. "Don't you recognize him?" he mewed to Onewhisker. "This is that ThunderClan cat we found on WindClan territory a moon and a half ago. He was probably trying to spy on us." The tom narrowed his eyes accusingly. Ravenpaw ducked his head. "See, he doesn't even try to defend himself!"

"Calm down, Mudclaw," Onewhisker meowed, yellow eyes widening. "This is our first Gathering in moons. We can hardly start a fight right now!" Ravenpaw felt the fur along his spine rise.

The mottled brown tom scowled, parting his jaws as if to identify a scent. "It _was_ him! Does ThunderClan think because they found us they can send their cats into our territory?!" He thrust his muzzle in Ravenpaw's face.

Dustpelt stepped between them. "Back off." Both cats faced each other, hackles up. Ravenpaw got the sense that the two hadn't liked each other very much even before this meeting.

"Then tell your Clanmate to stay off WindClan's hunting grounds." Mudclaw lashed his tail.

"I'll do as I please." Dustpelt flattened his ears. He was now nose-to-nose with Mudclaw. Cats were starting to stare. Paws shaking, Ravenpaw tensed his muscles, wondering whether it would be better to leap to his brother's defense or race away if Mudclaw attacked.

Sniffing, Mudclaw backed away; he must have noticed his Clanmates' alarmed looks. Ravenpaw let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The danger had passed.

Onewhisker waved his tail. "Oh, don't worry Mudclaw. He didn't take prey; he was just passing through."

But Mudclaw wasn't persuaded. "You're much too generous. It started with him, and now ThunderClan thinks they can wander the moor because they think we owe them!"

Ravenpaw shuffled back as Dustpelt narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?" A sudden increase in the volume of the hollow made Ravenpaw turn his head. The patrol of RiverClan cats were heading down to the gathering place.

"At last," Onewhisker growled. Ravenpaw followed the brown tabby's gaze to the top of the ridge. ShadowClan had arrived as well. "It's too cold to be hanging around tonight." With a commanding flick of his tail, Nightstar led the sleek furred cats down the slope. Snorting irritably, Mudclaw stalked off. Onewhisker shrugged as his Clanmate pushed his way into the crowd of cats, brushing past Deadfoot and mewing something in the black tom's ear. "Sorry about him. He's loyal, but ever since we got home he's been on edge, and the recent events haven't helped any…" Onewhisker flicked his ears toward the Great Rock. "I suppose Tallstar will tell you all about that."

More cats filled the empty space around them. Ravenpaw had never seen Fourtrees this crowded; this was his first Gathering in which all four Clans would be in attendance. He pressed himself closer to Dustpelt. His littermate gave no response; he either didn't notice or didn't care.

Ravenpaw watched the top of the Great Rock as Nightstar and Crookedstar bounded up its side. As soon as all four leaders were standing at the top, Bluestar's yowl pierced the frigid air, and Ravenpaw shared a startled glance with Dustpelt. The leaders usually waited a short time to allow the Clans to mingle with each other before calling the meeting.

Bluestar immediately raised her voice once the clearing grew silent. "RiverClan has been hunting at Sunningrocks." Ravenpaw blinked. He had expected some acknowledgement of WindClan's presence before the sharing of news began. "Our patrols have scented your warriors many times in the last few moons. It shouldn't need to be stated: Sunningrocks belongs to ThunderClan!"

Crookedstar's gaze was unwavering. "Have you forgotten how recently one of our cats was killed defending our territory from ThunderClan, an apprentice no less?"

"Crookedstar, I am sorry for the loss of your apprentice, truly I am." Bluestar's eyes narrowed into dark blue slits. "But we both know that is an oversimplification of what happened. The apprentice chose to fight; she wasn't attacked herself."

Crookedstar bristled. "You dare question the actions of a dead apprentice? Shadepaw fought bravely in the defense of both RiverClan and _your_ Clan. She could have left two apprentices from ThunderClan to die, but instead she helped them! How dare you place the blame on her, especially since the cat responsible for her death was of one of your own Clan!" Ravenpaw shuddered, the image of Darkstripe pushing Shadepaw off Sunningrocks flickering in front of his eyes. He should have expected RiverClan to bring up Shadepaw's death; he hoped they wouldn't single him out as being a part of that fight.

"I do not fault Shadepaw, Crookedstar," Bluestar replied calmly. "But that is beside the point. Your warriors have been hunting at Sunningrocks."

"That is a lie," Crookedstar meowed, "although maybe we should hunt there, since ThunderClan is clearly unable to handle its own cats. Something has to stop exiled warriors from attacking RiverClan!" Scattered yowling rose up, but there was mostly silence.

Bluestar's mew rang clearly through the quiet. "After the battle, patrols were sent to track Darkstripe and send him away from the forest. It is safe to say that he is no longer on our territory." Ravenpaw felt anxiety bubbling underneath his pelt. Darkstripe might still be around, even though he seemed to have disappeared from ThunderClan territory. Ravenpaw braced himself for an accusation from Nightstar; from where ThunderClan cats had found Darkstripe's scent, it was likely that Darkstripe had been on ShadowClan territory.

But it was Crookedstar who spoke. "What about the ThunderClan warrior who has been spying on our territory since then?" Ravenpaw's tail twitched. Was Crookedstar flinging baseless accusations, or had Bluestar really sent one of her Clanmates to spy on RiverClan?

But Bluestar jerked her head around, seeming as surprised as he did. "Warrior? Have you seen him?"

"Not yet." Crookedstar's mew was a threatening hiss. "But we find his scent so often, it won't be long before we do." Ravenpaw wanted to flatten himself against the ground. Cats were starting to meow quietly to each other in dark tones.

A flash of dark brown tabby fur out of the corner of his eye caught Ravenpaw's attention. "We have scented ShadowClan in our territory as well as RiverClan this past moon," Tigerclaw growled. "And not just one warrior, but a whole patrol, always the same cats."

Nightstar stood up. "ShadowClan has not been in your territory. Clearly your warriors can't tell the difference in the scents outside their own Clan. Those are rogues you've been smelling. They have been stealing prey from our territory as well!" Tigerclaw snorted. The clearing went silent as Nightstar's icy gaze bored into the crowd. "Do you doubt the word of ShadowClan, Tigerclaw?"

Uncomfortable murmuring met Ravenpaw's ears. He tore his eyes away from the terrifying look Nightstar was directing at Tigerclaw, and Tallstar hesitantly stepped to the front of the Great Rock. "We have also found strange scents in WindClan territory in the last moon. They seem to be of ShadowClan," he mewed, avoiding Nightstar's gaze.

"I knew it!" Tigerclaw leaped to his paws, hackles raised. "RiverClan and ShadowClan have united against us!"

Tallstar wasn't done. "We've scented ThunderClan as well." The statement hung in the air like a fog. Ravenpaw ducked his head sheepishly while disgruntled muttering erupted throughout the clearing.

"Tallstar, I can assure you that the cat in question has been dealt with," Bluestar meowed. "It won't happen again." Ravenpaw winced. Bluestar didn't name him to the other Clans, yet his actions were going to cause a rift between ThunderClan and WindClan! ThunderClan cats shot a few concerned looks in his direction, and quickly looked away.

Somehow Tallstar seemed to realize who Bluestar was talking about even though she hadn't spared Ravenpaw a second glance. The WindClan leader's gaze rested on Ravenpaw for a short heartbeat, and then moved back up to Bluestar. "As long as that's clear we shouldn't have an issue."

Crookedstar snorted. "Of course. ThunderClan may go where they please!"

"But most of the foreign scent was not of ThunderClan," Tallstar pointed out. "They must be rogue cats, as Nightstar says."

"But rogues would be a convenient excuse for invading our territories, would they not?" Bluestar murmured, staring dangerously at Crookedstar and Nightstar.

The ShadowClan and RiverClan leaders stood up, bristling. Tigerclaw began to stalk toward the Great Rock, his muscles rippling beneath his pelt; from his stance Ravenpaw could tell he was a heartbeat away from attacking. Dustpelt stood up, eyeing a RiverClan warrior who was staring back at him from across the clearing. An icy chill flooded Ravenpaw's pelt. Was the Gathering going to be thrown into battle? He glanced around, searching for an escape route, but cats were pressing into him from all sides.

The clearing was suddenly plunged into darkness. The black outlines of Fourtrees disappeared and the ground became a solid expanse of shadows. Cats who had been growling moments before fell silent. Trembling, Ravenpaw dug his claws into the ground, and looked up at the sky. Dark gray clouds covered the moon.

"StarClan has sent the darkness," Halftail meowed from the back of the crowd.

"StarClan is angry. These meetings are meant to be held in peace!" Ravenpaw recognized the yowl of the ShadowClan medicine cat.

"Runningnose is right!" That mew belonged to Yellowfang. "We shouldn't be fighting ourselves, especially during leaf-bare. We should be worrying about keeping our Clans safe!" Ravenpaw shivered as she went on. "We must listen to StarClan."

Tallstar spoke up. "This Gathering is over, by the will of StarClan." Murmurs of agreement echoed through the clearing. Still shivering, relief swept through Ravenpaw's fur. He had not anticipated this level of anger on WindClan's first Gathering back in the forest.

"Come, ThunderClan." Bluestar bounded down the Great Rock, and began to head toward the edge of the gathering place. Broken from his trance, Ravenpaw stumbled backward, hurrying through the tightly packed clearing.

Sandpaw appeared at Ravenpaw's side. Catching sight of Bluestar, they padded up to wait. They were followed Tigerclaw; the dark tom brushed past Ravenpaw and stood next Bluestar. Soon after that, the dimly lit shapes of the other ThunderClan cats lined up behind them. Ravenpaw hid himself from Tigerclaw by walking between Sandpaw and Graystripe as they began the trek back to camp, and as they made their way through the woods, he realized his paws were trembling. He couldn't tell if it was from nerves or exhaustion.

This Gathering had been in some ways more stressful than his first one. While his first Gathering had been filled with Brokenstar's demands to hand over territory, in this one every Clan had leaders that weren't tyrants, but it hadn't mattered- they had nearly attacked each other. The forest was in turmoil yet again.

He wondered if he'd ever attend a Gathering that wasn't fraught with tension. Ravenpaw glanced upward. _Thank StarClan that's over, and thank StarClan that Mudclaw never got a chance to start telling every cat how I trespassed._ Ravenpaw doubted it would stay that way; WindClan would surely hear about it, but from what he could tell Tallstar already knew and bore him no ill will. Ravenpaw was more concerned about RiverClan and ShadowClan now, and the idea that RiverClan faulted ThunderClan for Shadepaw's death sent a pang through his chest.

As slow as he was, Sandpaw was matching him step for step near the back of the patrol. "I didn't think they'd still be angry about Shadepaw," she mewed abruptly, echoing his thoughts. "Can you believe that? Crookedstar blames us!"

"Well, ThunderClan in general I think," Ravenpaw meowed. Graystripe fell back; he was the only cat behind them now. The rest of the Clan was moving much more urgently, out of view through the clusters of trees and thickets.

"No, us." Sandpaw flicked her tail. "Did you see the looks we were getting from the RiverClan cats?" Ravenpaw shook his head, grateful that he hadn't; angry glances from enemy warriors would have been terrifying in such a tightly packed place. Sandpaw snorted. "What a bunch of mouse-brains." She turned to look over her shoulder as if to ask Graystripe what he thought, but Graystripe stared straight through her.

The gray warrior looked stricken, his tail bushed out and eyes wide. Seeing his normally cheerful friend so troubled only heightened Ravenpaw's worries.


	25. Chapter 24

"The greatest threat seems to be from RiverClan and ShadowClan," Bluestar meowed from the top of the Highrock. "We must be prepared for the possibility that these two Clans have united against us."

Still tense from the Gathering, Ravenpaw missed a question from Yellowfang. Now Tigerclaw was mewing, his voice sending shivers down Ravenpaw's spine. "They didn't deny it."

Ravenpaw didn't have time to figure out who Tigerclaw was talking about before Bluestar spoke again. "Whatever the truth, we must be on full alert. From tonight, each patrol will have four cats, at least three of them warriors. The patrols will be more frequent, two each night, and one during the day, as well as the dawn and dusk patrols…" Ravenpaw shivered as she went on. He didn't hear most of what she said, only noting that she didn't mention Darkstripe. What if the 'rogues' ShadowClan claimed they had scented were Darkstripe? It was certainly possible, Ravenpaw thought. Darkstripe's ThunderClan scent had very likely left him at this point; without the constant proximity to Clanmates, he should smell like a Clanless rogue.

Yowls rose into the sky. Startled out of his musings, Ravenpaw nearly leaped into the air. "The first patrol will leave before dawn." Bluestar flicked her tail to dismiss the meeting, and jumped down from the Highrock. As the meeting broke up and cats huddled together in small groups, Tigerclaw loped up to Ravenpaw, his eyes narrowed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Tigerclaw lashed his tail. Ravenpaw jumped to his paws; he had sat down to give his flank a quick wash. "You've been in training for seasons now, and you're no closer to becoming a warrior than when you started. And you think you can rest the day away?" Tigerclaw snorted dismissively.

"No, Tigerclaw." Ravenpaw nearly bristled at the unfairness. It was still dark out for StarClan's sake!

"You will join Willowpelt, Runningwind, and myself on the dawn patrol," the dark tabby continued. "See that you're on time."

"Yes, Tigerclaw." Ravenpaw watched as his mentor stalked back to the warriors' den, pausing to share words with Whitestorm. Blood roared through his ears; Ravenpaw didn't understand why a pang of anger clutched his chest.

* * *

The patrol was mostly uneventful, aside from the jibes Tigerclaw directed Ravenpaw's way, and with other cats around, Tigerclaw's barbed tongue wasn't as bad as Ravenpaw had anticipated. They had covered most of the RiverClan border by now; Fourtrees was in sight. The clouds had cleared; weak sunlight dappled the Gathering clearing now.

Tigerclaw raised his muzzle, sniffing the air. "Ravenpaw," he growled. "What do you scent?"

Ravenpaw breathed in, very aware that he was being tested. Was Tigerclaw trying to make him look bad in front of the other warriors? As Tigerclaw, Willowpelt, and Runningwind stared, Ravenpaw exhaled and took another breath just to make sure he didn't miss anything. "A rabbit passed by here this morning. It's probably gone by now. Besides that, nothing out of the ordinary. No RiverClan scent beyond the border markers."

Tigerclaw scowled. Ravenpaw wondered if Tigerclaw was going to find something wrong with what he said before the dark tabby abruptly spun around. "Come." Relief washed through Ravenpaw's pelt. All that was left was to report their findings to the next patrol. 

"At least RiverClan doesn't seem to be pushing their luck," Runningwind meowed as they began to make their way back.

"For now," Tigerclaw mewed darkly. Legs aching, Ravenpaw bounded after him, grateful that they were finally heading home. It was going to take time before his stamina was back to normal.

While Tigerclaw led them through the woods back to camp, Runningwind trotted along behind them, while Willowpelt had padded up to walk next to Ravenpaw. She hadn't spoken to him the whole time, since Tigerclaw had been so focused on securing the border, and Ravenpaw was surprised when she addressed him. "It's good that you feel well enough to patrol again," she meowed. "You must be close to earning your warrior name."

Ravenpaw flicked his ears. Surely Willowpelt was just saying that to be nice. "I suppose I'll have some catching up to do first."

Willowpelt shrugged. "You did have quite a few moons experience even before you caught greencough. I'm sure Bluestar will take that into account." She ducked under a low hanging branch; Ravenpaw followed.

He couldn't help but be cheered by the short conversation. It was clear that Willowpelt truly thought he was capable of being a warrior. Perhaps she wasn't the only one who thought that.

Still though, in spite of his sudden happiness, Ravenpaw couldn't stop a wave of foreboding from lingering in the back of his mind. He tried to convince himself that the Gathering had put him on edge, but there was something more to it. His fur prickled.

They bounded down the side of the ravine, Tigerclaw in the lead. Whitestorm, Mousefur, Dustpelt and Sandpaw were waiting at the bottom.

Whitestorm dipped his head. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

"The entire RiverClan border is clear," Tigerclaw reported. "Bluestar's patrol will check again this afternoon."

"Good. We'll take the ShadowClan border." Raising his tail and flicking it to one side, Whitestorm led Dustpelt, Mousefur, and Sandpaw up the slope.

Ravenpaw stared after them. It didn't make sense to him, but he couldn't shake the worried feeling.

"Have you gone deaf?" Tigerclaw's mew rang in his ears. Ravenpaw twisted his head around. Willowpelt and Runningwind had already went ahead. "Are you coming or not?"

"I'm coming." Before Tigerclaw could say anything else, Ravenpaw hurried through the gorse tunnel, glad to be rid of his mentor.

A light breeze chilled the camp as Ravenpaw padded over to the tree stump. The clearing was quiet. Willowpelt and Runningwind had retreated to the warriors' den, while Cinderpaw was resting with her head on her paws in the entrance of the medicine den, looking bored.

Ravenpaw sat down. His paws and legs throbbed from both the border patrol and the journey to the Gathering, and his belly was starting to rumble. He still hadn't eaten any fresh-kill today; with all the commotion about ShadowClan and RiverClan there wasn't enough time to spare for hunting. Closing his eyes, Ravenpaw decided to take a quick nap. By the time he woke up there would be enough warriors in camp to make a hunting patrol.

* * *

"Bluestar!" Ravenpaw jerked awake as a rattling sound echoed through the clearing. Whitestorm was standing in the center of the camp, while Dustpelt, Sandpaw, and Mousefur paced beside him, their tails twitching. On the ground in front of them were what looked to be rabbit bones.

Utterly confused, Ravenpaw leaped to his paws.

Halftail and Frostfur left their dens to see what was going on. Ravenpaw hesitantly joined them.

"Bluestar has already left on patrol." Tigerclaw approached the group, his paws making no noise as they touched the ground.

"Look at these," Whitestorm spat. Tigerclaw unsheathed his massive claws and dug them into the ground, his eyes filling with fury. Hackles rising, Ravenpaw padded up and breathed in.

The bones smelled of ShadowClan, and when Ravenpaw sniffed a second time he recognized another scent. The fur on his shoulders spiked in alarm. "Darkstripe caught this!" he mewed shrilly.

Whitestorm let out a low growl. "ShadowClan wants us to know they turned our warrior on us." Ravenpaw glanced at Tigerclaw. His eyes were narrowed and gleaming with fury.

Tigerclaw let out a yowl. "Runningwind, Mousefur, come here. Willowpelt will join us too!" he announced. "We'll find a ShadowClan patrol and leave them with some wounds that'll remind them to keep out of our territory in the future."

"And Darkstripe too!" Mousefur meowed.

Whitestorm gave a stiff nod.

"Can I come?" Sandpaw asked, stopping her pacing.

"Not this time," Whitestorm meowed.

Sandpaw's shoulders fell. "But what about Dustpelt? Can he go at least?" she meowed, her gaze meeting the brown tabby's. "He found the bones."

"Dustpelt will stay behind, to guard the camp," Tigerclaw growled, his dangerous gaze challenging Sandpaw to question him further, but she remained silent.

Whitestorm, Tigerclaw, Runningwind, Mousefur and Willowpelt charged out of the camp and vanished into the woods. Ravenpaw peered after them as the sound of their paw steps faded.

The only sound he could hear now was the icy wind that ruffled his pelt. Frostfur and Halftail padded forward to sniff the rabbit bones, while Smallear and Dappletail looked on curiously. Ravenpaw shivered; the camp was much too quiet. "Where is everyone?"

"Bluestar is with Graystripe, Longtail, and Swiftpaw," Frostfur meowed, not looking up from the bones.

Dustpelt caught Ravenpaw's eye. He must have realized the same thing that Ravenpaw had; he was the only warrior left in the camp.

Sandpaw prodded the bones with a forepaw, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

Dustpelt twitched his tail. "Darkstripe has joined ShadowClan. He must have; we scented him on other bones as well." Sandpaw mumbled her agreement, still looking sickened as she glared down at the rabbit bones.

Just then, Yellowfang padded out of her den. Raising her head, she breathed in the air and tensed. She headed over to the pile of bones. Her horrified gaze was fixed straight ahead as she bent her head to sniff them one by one. When she finally spoke, her voice was filled with fear. "Brokenstar," she rasped.

Ravenpaw's mouth fell open. Dustpelt was similarly silent, and after a moment he spoke. "But that means..." Dustpelt's eyes darkened. "ShadowClan didn't trespass at all. It was Brokenstar all along! And Darkstripe-" Dustpelt began to stride forward, his tail swishing through the air. He suddenly froze. "Yellowfang, Tigerclaw has already taken a battle patrol to ShadowClan territory."

Ears flat, Yellowfang's fur spiked up. "No! ShadowClan is not to blame for this! This is Brokenstar and his old warrior friends!" Lashing her tail, she began to pace. Ravenpaw had never seen her so agitated. "You must find Tigerclaw and stop him! He will be making a terrible mistake if he attacks ShadowClan!"

"I'm the only warrior left! I can't leave the camp," meowed Dustpelt, bristling. Ravenpaw vigorously nodded his agreement, though the cats didn't seem to notice his support. It would be a terrible mistake to leave the camp without any warriors; the very thought made Ravenpaw's fur rise. "This is probably his plan," Dustpelt continued. "He'll invade while I'm gone."

"Then I shall go," Yellowfang hissed.

"No! I'll go!" Sandpaw mewed.

Scuffing his paws against the ground, Ravenpaw felt his ears twist back, and realized that even though he didn't have his endurance back yet, he would be even less useful in battle. If he had to run through the forest to catch up to the patrol and risk intercepting Darkstripe then so be it. "I'll- I'll do it, Dustpelt. If there's no other cat, I can do it."

Surprisingly, Dustpelt shook his head. "No, Ravenpaw, you're still not fully recovered. You won't be fast enough. ThunderClan needs your skills here. ThunderClan needs all of you." He glanced around, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "There really are no other warriors here, are there..." He trailed off, deep in thought. "Ravenpaw, go get Brackenpaw."

Thanking StarClan that Dustpelt had thought of something, Ravenpaw bounded over to the apprentices' den and poked his head into the bramble walled entrance. "Brackenpaw, Dustpelt needs you for something."

The golden brown tabby apprentice leaped to his paws at the alarm in Ravenpaw's voice. He slipped out of the apprentices' den, glancing around in search of Dustpelt.

The brown warrior raised his head. "Brackenpaw, come here."

Brackenpaw trotted up to the group, Ravenpaw joining them a moment later. "Yes, Dustpelt?" meowed Brackenpaw.

"I have an important mission for you," Dustpelt began. "Tigerclaw has taken a raiding party to attack ShadowClan. You must find him and stop him. Tell them that it was Brokenstar's rogues hunting our territory, not ShadowClan!" Brackenpaw's eyes had widened. "Go as quickly as you can!"

"Yes, Dustpelt," the golden brown tabby tom meowed, racing away. Ravenpaw watched him go. Soon the sound of his heartbeat in his ears was louder than Brackenpaw's fading pawsteps.

Ravenpaw was finding it difficult not to panic. Any moment, Brokenstar's rogues could show up, and the ThunderClan camp was sorely unprepared to defend itself.

Dustpelt sprinted to the top of the Highrock, and after a set of swift bounds made it to the top. He didn't bother with the customary call. "Every cat come here now! The camp is in danger!"

"What's going on?" One-Eye hobbled out of the elders' den. "What do you think you're doing up there?"

"Young cats these days," Smallear grumbled.

"Brokenstar is back." Dustpelt ignored the elder's disgruntled muttering. "He is probably in ThunderClan territory right now. Every ThunderClan warrior aside from myself is out of the camp, so we must prepare ourselves. Kits and elders stay in the nursery. The rest of you-"

A yowl sounded from the camp entrance. Pelt bristling, Ravenpaw watched in horror as a sleek dark brown tabby with a broken tail loped out of the gorse tunnel. Ravenpaw crouched down, flattening his ears against the growls of his Clanmates. He didn't have to hear them to know this was Brokenstar. The disgraced ShadowClan leader slowly padded into the camp, a stream of mangy cats trailing behind him.

"So you're the only warrior left!" Brokenstar hissed, unsheathing his claws. "This will be easier than I thought!"

"See, I told you, Brokenstar." The familiar gray and black striped warrior was standing at Brokenstar's shoulder. Ravenpaw felt as though he'd been clawed in the gut. 

"Darkstripe!" Dustpelt snarled, eyes showing no trace of the camaraderie he had once shared with his former mentor.

It was as though an invisible signal had been given- Sandpaw and Yellowfang raced to the front of the ThunderClan cats, and after a moment's hesitation Ravenpaw bounded after them, his eyes wide. The sound of pawsteps startled him; he turned to find that the queens had formed a defensive line behind them. Dappletail, Patchpelt, and the rest of the elders herded the kits to the nursery. Brindleface waited until they were safely inside, and then shifted the brambles so they blocked the entrance. She rushed back to join the rest of her Clan.

Ravenpaw felt fur brush against his side. Cinderpaw was hobbling up to join the battle!

"What are you doing?!" Ravenpaw mewed out of the corner of his mouth.

"Defending ThunderClan! What do you think I'm doing?!"

"You can't!" Ravenpaw hissed frantically.

"Yes, I can!" Cinderpaw insisted, making an effort to remain on her paws.

"No! You can't!"

"Can too!" Cinderpaw interrupted him before he could say anything else.

"It's too dangerous-"

"I have to fight-"

"Go back to Yellowfang's den!" Ravenpaw yowled in a whisper.

"Stop telling me what to do-"

"Get out of here, Cinderpaw!" Sandpaw snarled, interrupting their whispered argument. "These cats will kill you if you're limping about!"

Cinderpaw stumbled away, looking stricken, but Ravenpaw didn't have time to worry about it; at that moment Dustpelt bounded forward to face Brokenstar and Darkstripe. "Traitor!" He directed a hiss at his former mentor. "You rogues won't defeat us just because _he_ helped you," he told Brokenstar.

The ShadowClan leader seemed unbothered by Dustpelt's taunt. "Your warrior has proven himself quite useful," Brokenstar sneered, while Darkstripe puffed out his chest. Ravenpaw's belly tightened. "He knows what a true leader is, unlike you cowardly squirrel chasers. I do think you're right about one thing," he growled, pausing to rasp his tongue over his forepaw and swipe it across a shredded ear. "I won't defeat you because I turned one of your warriors; I will defeat you because your Clan puts so little thought into its defenses that it becomes mine for the taking."

"We'll see about that!" Dustpelt raised his head and let out a battle cry. "ThunderClan, attack!"


	26. Chapter 25

Ravenpaw was given no choice but to spring directly into the center of the battle.

Rogue cats were everywhere, hissing and snarling and lashing out with thorn sharp claws. It took all of Ravenpaw's self control not to run away.

Ravenpaw bounded shoulder to shoulder with Sandpaw, nipping at their enemies' legs as they went. They were separated by a scrawny brown warrior. Sandpaw went left, yowled a fierce war cry, and leaped into the thick of the battle. Ravenpaw went right, and found himself face to face with-

"You!" Darkstripe hissed, slamming Ravenpaw into the ground. Gasping, Ravenpaw stumbled backward. "You ruined me!" Darkstripe swung a paw that connected with Ravenpaw's ear.

"No!" Ravenpaw ducked, and heard claws whistle past his ear. The next swipe he wasn't so lucky; pain lanced through his muzzle, and he tasted blood. He was about to scramble away when a voice echoed in his ear, a memory, separate from the battle. _Whenever I see you train, your first instinct is always to dodge. Evading an attack can be an effective strategy, but you cannot be afraid to fight back as well._

Darkstripe reared up on his hind paws, and feeling as though he was in a dream, Ravenpaw rolled underneath him and delivered a sharp kick to the tom's vulnerable belly. Thrown off balance, Darkstripe's tail waved wildly to steady himself; it whisked past Ravenpaw's nose. In less than a heartbeat, Ravenpaw rolled back to his paws, charged forward, and bit down.

A screech rang out, and Ravenpaw was vaguely aware that it belonged to Darkstripe. He continued to hang on as Darkstripe scratched at his side, unable to get in a good hit as he dragged Ravenpaw by the tail. Ravenpaw could see the rest of the battle out of the corner of his eye: Brindleface, digging into a ShadowClan tom with thorn-sharp claws, Frostfur and Speckletail, taking on three rogues at once, and Graystripe, who had apparently returned to camp, fighting side by side with Sandpaw. The rest of his patrol was nowhere to be seen.

Darkstripe finally managed to wrench his tail out of Ravenpaw's grasp. He sprang forward and pinned Ravenpaw to the ground. This time instead of trying to wriggle free, Ravenpaw churned his hind legs against Darkstripe's belly. His claws easily cut through Darkstripe's thin fur, and in an instant Darkstripe was sent scrambling.

Ravenpaw's moment of triumph lasted less than a heartbeat; Darkstripe sprang at him again, a murderous gleam in his eyes.

Scrabbling away, Ravenpaw felt claws hook his leg and pull him backward. Ravenpaw tumbled over in a heap, and recognized that Darkstripe was about to sink his teeth into his neck. This was it; his bravery had been for naught. He waited for the end to come, his eyes screwed tight and his ears flat. A long moment passed. Nothing happened; clearly Darkstripe had been distracted somehow. Thanking StarClan for his good luck, he looked up.

Darkstripe had been thrown some ways off, and was slowly rising to his paws. Dustpelt was staring at his former mentor with an expression of pure hatred on his face. "And to think I ever respected you."

Darkstripe eyed him, a snarl etched on his face. They began to circle each other. Back arched, Darkstripe jerked his nose a whisker length forward and then slid back. Dustpelt tensed but seemed to recognize that Darkstripe was feinting. Ravenpaw realized that much of Dustpelt's apprenticeship had prepared him for this day. His former mentor would be the one cat he had the most practice fighting.

In spite of the blood dripping from his fur, Darkstripe appeared to pay his injuries little notice.

Dustpelt suddenly flung himself at his former mentor, hissing and spitting.

But Darkstripe was ready. He rushed Dustpelt, bowling him over. Dustpelt slashed at him with his hind legs, but Darkstripe dodged most of his former apprentice's claw swipes. Ravenpaw sprinted forward to help when Darkstripe twisted around, positioning himself so he could pounce, but at the same time leaving his back vulnerable, just a mouselength from Dustpelt's muzzle.

In the single fraction of a heartbeat, Dustpelt cannoned forward and sank his teeth into Darkstripe's spine, and with a sharp crack the former warrior of ThunderClan collapsed in the dust. Ravenpaw's eyes widened. He had never expected Dustpelt to kill his former mentor.

But somehow, impossibly, Darkstripe wasn't dead. He continued to thrash at Dustpelt with his forelegs, but didn't get up.

Backing away, Dustpelt stared at him in shock. "Great StarClan, how is he still alive?!"

"If you meant to kill him, you should have gone for his neck." Yellowfang walked up. Her shoulder had a nasty looking cut, but besides that she appeared uninjured. She looked down at the former ThunderClan warrior, her eyes cold.

With a roar of fury, Darkstripe tried to push himself toward Dustpelt, his hind legs dragging against the ground. His moment of fight lasted barely a heartbeat before his legs buckled from underneath him. "My legs! I can't feel my legs!"

"That's because you're paralyzed," Yellowfang meowed. Blood dripped down into his eyes, and the tom stared up at her, half-blind.

"Liar!" Darkstripe gave a primal caterwaul, and tried to pull himself away but it was no use. While his fore legs frantically churned at the sand, his hindquarters dragged uselessly behind him.

"You will only injure yourself further if you keep writhing around like that," Yellowfang pointed out. Darkstripe paid her no heed, flailing his paws in a futile attempt to run.

A sharp yowl hit Ravenpaw's ears. Ravenpaw spun around, ready to defend Yellowfang from attacking cats if she tried to examine Darkstripe's injury.

But there was no need. Aside from Brokenstar, there were only three other rogues left. Sandpaw was fighting one, while the other two were grappling with Frostfur and Brindleface. One of the warriors rolled in Ravenpaw's direction, and he bunched his muscles to spring.

At that moment, Brokenstar let out a harsh yowl. It must have been the signal to retreat, for at his command the few remaining rogues broke loose from the cats they were fighting.

"Brokenstar! Brokenstar, wait!" Darkstripe screeched. "Don't leave me!"

The former ShadowClan leader didn't spare him so much as a second glance as he led his followers into the forest. Soon the sound of the rogues' pawsteps faded. It was over.

"Brokenstar!" Darkstripe continued to wail pitifully, and Ravenpaw had to look away.

Silence fell upon the camp. Ravenpaw turned his head, taking in the clearing's appearance. Blood and tufts of fur littered the ground, a single body lay at the center of the camp, and behind him, Darkstripe lay terribly injured. Ravenpaw let out a sigh of relief when he recognized the body as that of a ShadowClan rogue. None of his Clanmates had died today, and most surprising of all, _he_ hadn't died today. He had faced Darkstripe, and lived.

Dustpelt looked almost in shock. Ravenpaw didn't blame him- he couldn't imagine maiming a cat like that, even a traitorous one- but Darkstripe was still baring his teeth at Yellowfang, ready to bite if she came near. Even paralyzed, Darkstripe could still injure. Ravenpaw tensed, ready to defend ThunderClan's medicine cat.

Yellowfang glanced at him. "Ravenpaw, fetch me some cobwebs and a bit of horsetail." Ravenpaw gave her a blank stare. He wasn't entirely sure what horsetail looked like.

"I'll do it." Dustpelt limped past him. Ravenpaw wondered if he needed the excuse to get away from Darkstripe.

"If you can't find them, ask Cinderpaw to show you," Yellowfang called after him.

Ravenpaw lingered around Yellowfang and Darkstripe, concerned that the dark warrior would attack the medicine cat. He tried to avoid looking at the gruesome wound on Darkstripe's back, and reflected on the strangeness of the situation. Ravenpaw wasn't afraid, and even though he knew that it made sense since Darkstripe was no longer a threat, it felt odd to see the cat who had once tried to kill him and not experience a rush of terror.

Sandpaw and Graystripe were standing over the dead rogue's body, while the queens had started removing the thorn barrier they had placed in the nursery entrance.

It was taking a long time for Dustpelt to find the herbs, and Ravenpaw was about to go see where Dustpelt was when he returned, awkwardly limping with a clump of cobwebs twisted around a forepaw and a clump of horsetail between his teeth. He set them down at Yellowfang's paws.

Yellowfang picked up the horsetail, chewed it into a pulp, and began to press it into Darkstripe's wound. "Anything else?" Ravenpaw asked, shuddering.

Yellowfang shook her head. "I think I can handle him. Though I am going to need some cat to drag him to my den once I've examined him further."

Adrenaline was still rushing through him from nose to tail tip, and Ravenpaw felt as though he could take on a family of badgers, but he nodded and left Yellowfang to it. He watched her from a distance though, ready to jump in. Although Yellowfang had lived in ShadowClan under a tyrant, Ravenpaw doubted she had his level of experience with treacherous cats.

Just then, the sound of rapidly thrumming paws hit his ears. Ravenpaw bristled, ready to fight if the rogues had regrouped and returned.

But it was only Bluestar. She pelted into the camp, Longtail and Swiftpaw racing after her. She skidded to a halt and scanned the clearing; her eyes widened at the sight of blood and fur. "Brokenstar attacked?" Bluestar meowed.

"Yes, and Darkstripe was with him." Dustpelt padded up, tail twitching.

It was then that Bluestar's gaze fell on Darkstripe, and her eyes widened even further. "What happened to him?"

Yellowfang spoke. "He was injured in the battle. He's lost the use of his hind legs." She slipped away from Darkstripe and Ravenpaw flinched when she left her patient alone, and then remembered he wasn't in danger. It wasn't as if Darkstripe was going anywhere.

Dustpelt nodded stiffly. Darkstripe had stopped snarling, and was mewling pitifully, like a small kit.

"Are any of our Clan badly hurt?" Bluestar scanned the clearing. Cats shook their heads. "Good. Sandpaw, Ravenpaw, take this body out of the camp and bury it. No elders need be present. No rogue deserves to be buried with the honor of StarClan ritual."

Ravenpaw walked over to Sandpaw, and bent his head to grasp the rogue's scruff. Together they carried him into the forest.

* * *

When they slipped back inside through the gorse tunnel, Tigerclaw, Whitestorm, Mousefur, and the rest of their patrol had returned to camp. Brackenpaw was at the back. They were talking to Bluestar, their eyes wide as she told them of Brokenstar's attack, and they grew even wider when she mentioned Darkstripe's involvement.

"What?" Mousefur meowed. "He didn't escape, at least?"

Bluestar shook her head. "No, Yellowfang is tending to his wounds. He's lost the use of his hind legs."

"We should kill him," Tigerclaw snarled, "not waste time making him better!" Ravenpaw blinked at the fury in Tigerclaw's mew; he sounded almost desperate.

"Why not exile him?" Mousefur meowed. "He'll surely die if we leave him in the forest."

"He will probably die even if he stays," Yellowfang meowed, padding up. Ravenpaw jerked his head around. As old as she was, Yellowfang's stealth hadn't left her.

"Is he that bad?" Bluestar meowed. The other cats pricked their ears.

Yellowfang flicked her tail. "I've never encountered his condition before myself, but if what I've heard is correct, his chances of surviving past a moon or two are poor. Paralyzed cats tend to develop chest infections from not moving."

"Then why not just get it over with?" Tigerclaw unsheathed his claws. Bluestar watched Yellowfang, waiting for a response.

Yellowfang raised her chin. "By doing that, we would be no better than he is." Tigerclaw snorted, while Bluestar looked thoughtful.

"What do you think, Whitestorm?" Bluestar tilted her head at the white warrior.

"It would be a burden on our Clan to look after him," Whitestorm began. "But Yellowfang is right- if we send him out into the forest, or kill him in cold blood, then we are no better."

"Ravenpaw?" Bluestar meowed. "Darkstripe's treachery has affected you more than any cat. What do you think?"

Ravenpaw was caught by surprise. "I… I don't know." He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "I mean, he's no danger to any cat anymore. I think he should stay." Ravenpaw saw Tigerclaw's eyes flash with rage, along with a hint of another emotion. Fear, Ravenpaw realized. Darkstripe knew the truth about Tigerclaw's disloyalty, or at least part of it. It would be dangerous for Tigerclaw to have a cat who knew so much around. Ravenpaw dared to meet Tigerclaw's eyes.

" _Is_ he a danger to ThunderClan if we allow him to shelter here?" Bluestar asked, turning to Yellowfang. "Could he recover the use of his hind legs?"

"Unlikely, but there's always a chance I suppose." Concerned murmurs broke out as Yellowfang continued. "I've heard of it happening, but I've never seen it myself. If he were to recover from his injury, we would surely notice. I'll keep a close eye on him. A cat can't just up and walk away after not using his hind legs for a long time."

"Surely we can't care for a traitor?" Mousefur mewed. A growl rumbled deep within Tigerclaw's throat.

"Whatever he has done, I cannot throw a former Clanmate into the woods to die." Bluestar nodded, seemingly to herself, before addressing the rest of the Clan. "Darkstripe stays."

* * *

Later that day, all was calm. The sun was setting, casting its warm orange glow over the camp. Tigerclaw had taken out a hunting party, and they had returned with jaws full of prey. There would be plenty to eat tonight. Ravenpaw was sitting with Sandpaw when Swiftpaw padded up. "Bluestar wants to speak with you."

"Who?" Sandpaw glanced around, clearly unsure if he was referring to her or Ravenpaw.

"Both of you. She's waiting over there." Swiftpaw pointed with his tail. Ravenpaw nodded his thanks and shared a bewildered glance with Sandpaw, wondering what this could be about.

Bluestar beckoned them with her tail as they padded up. "Dustpelt told me what happened," she meowed as they sat down. "Sandpaw, you fought with the strength of a TigerClan cat. It was you who caused Brokenstar to call for the rogues to retreat. And Ravenpaw, you faced Darkstripe in battle and won."

Sandpaw blinked. "It wasn't just me. Graystripe helped too."

"And I didn't defeat Darkstripe," Ravenpaw confessed. "Dustpelt did that. He saved me. Without him I would have died." He gave Dustpelt an appreciative glance; the tom was grooming his ears a few fox-lengths off, watching the talk out of the corner of his eye.

Bluestar gazed at him. "Without you, the outcome of the battle might have been very different." Ravenpaw was shocked silent at Bluestar's mew. "You did well." Her expression thoughtful, Bluestar's eyes swept over Sandpaw and Ravenpaw. "It's time you both took your warrior names. We shall have the naming ceremony now, while the sun is setting, and then we can eat."

_Naming ceremony?_ Ravenpaw tilted his head, unsure if he was hearing correctly. Sandpaw gave him a thrilled glance, and it was then when he realized what Bluestar said. It was true. He was going to be a warrior.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." Bluestar's voice rang out as she called the usual summons, and at her yowl the rest of the ThunderClan cats gathered around them. Warriors sat on one side, kits and elders on the other.

This wasn't really happening, was it? Ravenpaw closed his eyes and opened them, expecting to wake up from this particularly strange dream, but the camp still bustled around him. Ravenpaw realized that he was shaking when Sandpaw brushed her fur against his. As the cats gathered, Ravenpaw's gaze skimmed Tigerclaw's dark tabby pelt, and he tore his eyes away. His mentor wasn't going to distract him from this moment.

Bluestar had settled herself at the front of the crowd. She waited for the last beam of sunlight to fade. Then she raised her head. "I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." She turned her blue eyes to Ravenpaw, and then Sandpaw, and at that moment Ravenpaw felt as though her gaze had lit something within him. "Sandpaw, Ravenpaw, do you promise to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Heart pounding, Ravenpaw stared up at her. Could he make that promise? For a moment, a chill spread through his pelt. He had already almost died and made peace with it, but this was different; it was a declaration that he was willing to sacrifice himself for his Clan.

Sandpaw's reply sounded as though it had crossed a vast distance before it reached Ravenpaw's ears. "I do."

Once again, Bluestar's words echoed in his mind. _Do you promise to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?_ Tigerclaw had made that promise, and broken it. Tigerclaw had broken many things. Redtail's life. Ravenpaw's innocence. Cinderpaw's destiny, and his own. Ravenpaw turned his head to look at the younger cat, and thought he could pick up a trace of sorrow in her wide blue eyes.

He thought of Redtail, and once again he was at Sunningrocks, witnessing the tortoiseshell tom's murder. For the first time he didn't shudder when he remembered it. In addition to the fear, a flicker of anger sparked in his heart. He would be a warrior, not like Tigerclaw, but a true warrior- one that was loyal to his Clan.

"Ravenpaw?" Bluestar was still waiting for his answer.

Ravenpaw took a deep breath, the spark in his chest growing into an intense flame. "I do."

"Then by powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Sandpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sandstorm. StarClan honors your courage and your spirit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." The newly named Sandstorm gave a respectful lick to Bluestar's shoulder, and then stepped aside.

Bluestar turned to Ravenpaw, and in that heartbeat he felt as though he could fly. "Ravenpaw, from this moment you will be known as Ravenwing. StarClan honors your modesty and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Trembling, Ravenwing closed his eyes, letting the cheers of his Clanmates wash over him as he licked Bluestar's shoulder. "Sandstorm! Ravenwing! Sandstorm! Ravenwing!"

He could hardly believe it. He was a warrior now. Ravenwing let out the breath he was holding and looked at his Clanmates. Their eyes were glowing, and their expressions were filled with respect, so different from when they'd looked at him with pity.

Bluestar raised her voice as the cheering died down. "In the tradition of our ancestors, Sandstorm and Ravenwing must sit in silent vigil until dawn, and guard the camp alone while we sleep. But before they begin their vigil, the Clan will share a meal. It has been a long day and we have reason to be proud of these cats who defended our camp against these rogues." Bluestar searched the crowd, her eyes resting on a familiar brown tabby pelt. "Dustpelt, without your quick thinking, the battle might have been lost. ThunderClan owes you a debt of gratitude."

Now the cats began to cheer for Dustpelt. The brown tabby raised his chin proudly. Ravenwing felt a flicker of sadness; as much as he wanted to be close with his brother, it didn't seem like it was going to happen.

Soon the mews died down and the cats began to pick out their prey from the fresh-kill pile.

As Ravenwing made his way there, Tigerclaw watched him from the back of the crowd, his ears flat. But for once, Ravenwing wasn't affected by the dark tabby's harsh gaze. He was a ThunderClan warrior now, and that was all that mattered... wasn't it? Ravenwing met Tigerclaw's pale amber eyes with his own, and surprised himself when he wasn't overcome by fear. No matter what his mentor told him, he had proven himself worthy of a warrior name during the battle.

He was still staring at Tigerclaw when a hearty nudge caught him by surprise. "Graystripe!" he mewed, whisking his tail to regain his balance.

"See, I told you," Graystripe meowed. "It _was_ only a matter of time."

Ravenwing purred. "Yes, I suppose it was." He peered over the crowd to see Tigerclaw give him a tiny nod, and slip away to the warriors' den. Ravenwing blinked. Had Tigerclaw just given him a sign of respect? He didn't have time to think about it as cats continued to bundle around him.

"Congratulations, Ravenwing," Goldenflower meowed as she brushed past.

"Good fight, Ravenwing." That was Runningwind.

"Thanks." Ravenwing ducked his head. He could hear Tigerclaw talking now.

"I had my doubts," Tigerclaw was meowing from where he sat next to Longtail and Dustpelt, "but it looks like he was warrior material after all." For some reason Ravenwing felt relieved at his mentor's dismissive tone. The nod Tigerclaw had given him was certainly just a facade so he'd appear glad his apprentice was a warrior, instead of his real emotion, which Ravenwing guessed was furious at his survival.

"Your mentoring made it possible," Longtail agreed. Dustpelt shifted uncomfortably on his paws.

Ravenwing twitched his ears, turning back to Graystripe. "We'll sleep in the same den, just like our apprentice days. We can patrol together now."

Graystripe nodded.

"Want to go hunting tomorrow morning? Just like the old days."

Strangely, Graystripe didn't seem that enthused. "Uh, maybe the next day. I was planning on training Brackenpaw..."

"Oh, okay." Ravenwing blinked. He wracked his brain for anything he could have done to cause Graystripe to want to avoid him. _What if he doesn't want to be your friend?_ Ravenwing mused. _What if the only reason we spent time together as apprentices was because we trained together?_

As Graystripe trotted off, Ravenwing shook his head to clear it. Surely the gray warrior just wanted to help his apprentice catch up on his training. Graystripe had spent a great deal of time with a cold during the last few moons.

Soon enough, the cats had eaten and the last trace of sun had left the sky. The only interruption to its blackness were the stars and the growing wispy clouds. Ravenwing padded over to the spot where he'd sit his vigil, still in a state of disbelief. It was going to take a while to get used to being addressed by his new name.

Settling himself next to Sandstorm, he prepared himself for a long, cold night. He caught the pale ginger she-cat's eyes and saw a glint of contentment, so different from the jealousy she had carried for the last few moons. As the light of the stars dimmed from behind the clouds, the main camp began to empty out as cats made their way to their dens.

Snow began to fall. At first it was light and airy, and whipped up like cotton in the wind. It soon turned heavier, and as thick flakes began to cover the landscape, Ravenwing thought it was unusually peaceful. It was a comforting darkness, as though the gloom obscured the true dark things of the forest.

Ravenwing felt a tiny cold prick on his nose and looked up at the sky. A blanket of clouds rested above him, and to Ravenwing, they seemed to insulate the camp even in the cold. He could imagine the light of StarClan above them, the bright warriors looking down on him with pride.

_Robinwing? Fuzzypelt? Can you see me? Lionheart? Spottedleaf?_ The assortment of clouds billowed above his head, and for once he knew with certainty that he had done something to be proud of. He had done it. Ravenwing was a warrior now, and whatever Tigerclaw did, whatever any cat did, nothing could take that away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It finally happened! After surviving multiple murder attempts, getting hit by a Thunderpath monster, and nearly dying of greencough, Ravenwing is finally a warrior! What are the chances?
> 
> What do you think of the name? Honestly, I always knew he'd be called Ravenwing, but there were a few others I considered as well. Ravenfur and Ravenpelt, while I think they're nice and fit Ravenpaw's personality, sound a bit common. There are just going to be too many characters with those suffixes already, especially -pelt. Ravenfeather, while it has a nice ring to it, doesn't fit the tone of the first series, and it doesn't seem to fit Ravenpaw either- I can't help but think of snarky cats like Jayfeather or Crowfeather. Eliminated Ravenflight because I dislike the -flight suffix tbh, and again, doesn't fit the tone of the first series.
> 
> I ultimately chose Ravenwing for 3 reasons. First, at one point one of the Erins said if they could give Ravenpaw a warrior name it would be Ravenwing, so it was 'almost' canon. Second, it sounds nice while not being too out there. Bluestar was definitely somewhat of a bland namer, I can't imagine her naming him something too unusual. And third, the one that sealed it: I thought it would be nice if Ravenwing got the same suffix as his mother, to match Dustpelt, who got the same suffix as their father.
> 
> And yeah, technically there is another cat in the series named Ravenwing, but there are a ridiculous number of duplicate names at this point, even some very important ones… you know who I'm talking about if you've read a certain recent Super Edition!
> 
> Anyway, there are two more chapters left until Broken Destinies is complete. Thanks for reading and see you next week!


	27. Chapter 26

The night and the next morning brought a cold snowfall that gave no signs of stopping. A blizzard was brewing, and soon the cats in all four Clans would hunker down and bide their time as they waited for it to end. In the meantime, Tigerclaw had assigned a great many patrols to capitalize on the good hunting weather in advance.

When his vigil ended, Ravenwing took a good long nap in his new nest in the warriors' den, and just as he left the den later on in the day, Bluestar emerged from her own den with a stretch. She caught his eye and flicked her tail. She wanted to speak with him.

Sitting down in front of her, Ravenwing nodded respectfully. "Yes, Bluestar?"

"Ravenwing, I think the time for the precautionary measures we have taken for the last few moons has come to an end. You can leave the camp without having other warriors with you."

"Alone?" His mew was shrill.

"The worst of the danger has passed," Bluestar reassured him. "Darkstripe is no longer a threat." Bluestar shook her head, giving a sad glance at Darkstripe, who was staring blankly under the fallen oak. "And aside from that, you are a warrior now; you've proven that you are capable of defending yourself in battle. You can leave the camp alone from now on."

Ravenwing stared at her in confusion for a long moment before he realized he should say something. "Thank you, Bluestar." Dipping his head, Ravenwing backed away, and as Bluestar returned to her den he felt a twinge of nerves. He had rarely been in the forest alone.

_I should be starting my warrior duties, shouldn't I?_ Ravenwing nervously turned back to look at the warriors' den, reflecting on the strangeness of not having his day controlled by other cats. What should he do? Hunt? Patrol a border? He wished Sandstorm had woken up so they could do something together, but the pale ginger she-cat was visible near the outside of the warriors' den, her chest rising and falling peacefully. She wouldn't thank him for disturbing her sleep.

He decided to visit the medicine den before he did anything. Perhaps Yellowfang or Cinderpaw would have ideas.

When he reached the den and ducked under the overhang, Yellowfang wasn't there. He raised his tail in greeting. "Hi, Cinderpaw."

"Hi." Cinderpaw was staring at her paws, and Ravenwing wondered if he had made a mistake coming here. It was his fault she was here in the medicine den, not with the rest of the apprentices, and he had just been made a warrior. She was probably upset with him.

"So…" Ravenwing fished around for a topic of conversation unrelated to him being a newly named warrior. "How is Darkstripe?"

"He's still pretty out of it." Cinderpaw turned her head. "Yellowfang gave him poppy seeds."

"And how… how are you?" Ravenwing meowed. "How's… everything?"

Ravenwing regretted asking that instantly; Cinderpaw had gone silent. But then she turned her head upward. "I'm alright. Yellowfang's having me sort herbs today. Did you know there's an herb specifically for toothaches…" She kept on, her tail flicking as she talked.

A weight hung between them- or that was what it felt like to Ravenwing- and he wondered if there was anything he could do to get rid of it. Cinderpaw had once looked up to him, been his friend even, but now he wasn't sure. The younger cat might have resented him ever since she'd been maimed. _I haven't even thanked her for saving my life,_ Ravenwing realized with a jolt. He tried to find the words, but nothing came out. _She must hate me._

Cinderpaw's eyes suddenly gained a tiny glimmer of their normal mischievous gleam. "Do you want to help?"

Ravenwing was jerked out of his pondering. "Wha-?"

"With sorting herbs, silly! What I was just telling you about!"

"Oh." Ravenwing blinked, surprised at her bright mew. "I would like to, but…" Tail twitching, Ravenwing reluctantly shook his head. "I think Bluestar wants me to leave the camp today." Ravenwing knew his eyes were flicking back and forth; he probably wasn't sounding believable. He would have liked to organize herbs, but Cinderpaw must be trying to show him what her life was now- what he had destroyed… Even if he deserved it, the guilt was too much.

"Oh, okay." Cinderpaw shrugged. "Maybe some other day."

"Ah, Ravenwing." Just then Yellowfang sauntered into the den, orange eyes glowing. "I was wondering when you'd show up. After a fight like that you must have injuries bothering you. I can check them if you want."

Ravenwing almost made an excuse before a stinging pain stopped him. "I suppose this cut hurts a bit." Ravenwing tilted his chin toward a scratch mark on his flank.

Yellowfang padded forward, sniffed it, and began to apply a thin layer of herb paste. "Cinderpaw, could you pass me some of that horsetail?" Cinderpaw batted a clump of thin stalks toward her, which Yellowfang took and chewed up to add to her herb mixture. Ravenwing felt pressure on his flank, and then it faded. Yellowfang was finished. "I didn't get the chance to tell you yesterday, but congratulations," she meowed, pushing her herbs aside. "Good fight, from what I heard. If Dustpelt was saying good things about a cat without insulting them first, you know you did well." She frowned, and added, "Or you're dying."

"I wasn't that great," Ravenwing meowed modestly.

Yellowfang shook her head. "Nah, you did well. Cats were impressed." She twitched her ears, her orange eyes glimmering. "Even Tigerclaw was pleased."

"No," Ravenwing answered mildly, without thinking. Cinderpaw gave him a puzzled look. "I mean, yes. I- he- I'm sure he is. Yes." Ravenwing flicked his tail, cursing his awkwardness. Yellowfang's skeptical gaze was throwing him off.

"At least you're glad to have gotten your training over and done with, right?" Yellowfang tilted her head, her look half searching, half teasing.

"I… yes," Ravenwing replied after a long moment of determining if Yellowfang was trying to trip him up again. "It's good to be a warrior." He avoided looking at Cinderpaw as a wave of guilt crashed in on him.

"I'm sure it is." Yellowfang turned back to her herbs. "That injury of yours wasn't too bad, but what about your claws- you haven't wrenched them, have you?" Ravenwing shook his head; Yellowfang had clearly seen that he was digging his claws into the dust. Her eyes searched his. "Anything else?"

To Ravenwing it sounded like she wasn't just referring to battle injuries. "No, I think I'm fine." He began to back out of the den. "Actually, I should go. Bluestar expects me to hunt or patrol I think, even though it's my first day…"

"I'll be here if you need anything." Still watching him, Yellowfang shuffled her herbs toward the back of the den.

Bending his head in acknowledgement, Ravenwing ripped his gaze away and trotted into the snow-covered main clearing, twisting his ears back at Cinderpaw's call of, "Bye, Ravenwing!"

"See you, Cinderpaw," he meowed back, catching her eye before trotting away. Sighing, he slowed to a stop once he'd gotten far enough from the den. Why did Yellowfang always seem to question him whenever they talked, as if she knew he wasn't telling the truth? It was nerve wracking seeing her sometimes, even though she was no longer the fearsome rogue who had attacked him all those seasons ago.

Without thinking, Ravenwing padded to the gorse tunnel and ducked through, intent on avoiding his Clanmates. When he reached the outside of camp, Ravenwing lingered at the bottom of the ravine, unsure what to do with himself. After a bit of hesitation, he decided to hunt.

He made the steep climb up the ravine, sending clouds of dust down the slope where his paws scraped the slanted ground. The trees were covered in snow, and it was tough to scent anything through the bone chilling cold. Suddenly a tiny squeak ruffled his ear fur. He turned; a mouse was near. The tiny gray creature was sitting a few tree-lengths away, nibbling at a seed in the shade of the frost-covered undergrowth. It suddenly stopped and Ravenwing froze, willing it not to notice his presence.

He picked up the scent of it only when the wind changed direction, and began to creep around the trees. The mouse was still sitting, its bulbous eyes staring at its surroundings. As it searched the area for predators, Ravenwing was thankful for his black pelt. In the shaded undergrowth, the mouse wasn't going to detect him by sight.

It could recognize him by scent though, so Ravenwing skirted the tree line to keep himself downwind.

He crept forward, getting closer step by step. The mouse didn't notice him until he pounced, but it was too late. Ravenwing gave it a quick killing bite, and thanked StarClan for his prey's life.

Ravenwing purred. This mouse was his first catch as a warrior! He imagined Barley's voice in his ear, congratulating him. _Well done._ His tail curled up at the thought of Barley. Hadn't the friendly loner told him he was welcome anytime? Ravenwing was tempted to make the trek to Barley's barn to tell him that he'd earned his warrior name. _Maybe someday,_ he thought. As a warrior he knew he couldn't run away like he had in the past.

He scratched a layer of snow over the mouse and continued on his way.

* * *

 

The hunt went better than Ravenwing could have anticipated. The sun had barely moved behind the clouds, and he had already caught three mice. Spirits soaring, he returned to camp before his cache got to be too much to take in one trip. He dropped the mice on the meager fresh-kill pile, proud that he was contributing to ThunderClan as a warrior.

His mood was much improved from when he'd practically ran from Yellowfang.  His thoughts wandered to Graystripe; he hadn't seen the gray warrior since the previous night. He'd been wanting to hunt with Graystripe, and now could be his chance, but he'd have to find him soon. The snowfall was steadily growing thicker, and soon every cat in the Clan would hunker down within the camp.

Ravenwing glanced around but there was no sign of the gray warrior. He decided to ask around.

First, he walked over to the apprentices' den. Brackenpaw was gnawing on a vole by the tree stump. "Where is Graystripe?" Ravenwing mewed. "Have you seen him?" The golden brown tom shrugged in response. _Wasn't Graystripe supposed to take him hunting this morning?_

Ravenwing frowned. Brackenpaw hadn't left the camp at all today from what he'd seen.

He padded over to the warriors' den and ducked inside. Mousefur, Sandstorm, and Willowpelt looked up from their conversation. "Have you seen Graystripe?" Ravenwing asked.

"Not all day," Sandstorm meowed, moving her tail to cover her paws. "Why?"

"I was hoping to hunt with him for a bit."

"The storm will be here soon," Mousefur pointed out. "You'd have to find him pretty quick if you want to get in any actual hunting time."

Willowpelt yawned. "He'll show up sooner or later."

The she-cats turned back toward each other. "Do you think this will be a bad one?" Sandstorm mewed.

Willowpelt nodded. "I can feel it in my paws; we'll be swimming in snow by tomorrow morning."

Ravenwing squeezed out of the warriors' den. Willowpelt was right; the thick gray clouds promised a blizzard. Perhaps it would be best to call it a day. He picked one of his mice from the fresh-kill pile and ate it quickly as snow began to cover everything as far as he could see.

He took the bones of the mouse to bury near the edge of camp, and as he started to walk away from the barrier near the nursery, he realized that something was off. Ravenwing squinted. Against the dull brown of the brambles, and frond of gray stood out. He padded closer. A tuft of fur was snagged in the thorns. Ravenwing sniffed, recognizing Graystripe's scent before the cold air numbed his nose. The gray warrior had left the camp through here; a shallow set of indents made a trail through the snow.

Something was terribly wrong- Ravenwing could sense it in his pelt. Why would Graystripe claim that he needed to train Brackenpaw and therefore couldn't hunt with Ravenwing, but then disappear without training Brackenpaw at all? What if Graystripe was caught too deep in some horrible scheme? _You're being ridiculous,_ Ravenwing told himself. _He probably just likes hunting alone._

But why then, would Graystripe be so reticent about a normal hunting trip? Ravenwing stared at the narrow gap in the camp barrier. He _could_ follow Graystripe and make sure he was alright. If he found him in time they might even be able to hunt together, although Graystripe might not appreciate being followed. But what if he was in trouble? Ravenwing shook the snow out of his fur. If he went he needed to go now; the blizzard would arrive in full force soon.

Twitching his tail, Ravenwing looked over his shoulder to make sure no cat was watching, and then squeezed through the narrow space between the brambles and into the forest.

Ravenwing followed the path of paw prints, his anxiety growing as he went. Graystripe was heading straight through the territory, and the marks he left in the snow showed no signs of stopping to hunt. What reason would Graystripe have to be so secretive by using a hidden way out of the camp, Ravenwing couldn't guess. Ravenwing tried to scent him again, but it was impossible to pick up more than the tiniest trace in the lung freezing cold.

Continuing along Graystripe's trail, Ravenwing shivered. Even if Graystripe was actually attempting to hunt, all the squirrels and mice would be sheltering from the blizzard by now.

He kept on, and was confused to find that he was heading straight for the RiverClan border. The tall boulders of Sunningrocks rose up in the distance. It was more difficult to find the path of pawprints now; the snow storm had intensified.

Ravenwing knew with certainty that Graystripe was at Sunningrocks, or nearby it. He sniffed the frozen air, picking up Graystripe's scent once more, along with RiverClan. The border was close now; Ravenwing noticed a clump of brambles often marked by RiverClan.

Crouched in the snow coated undergrowth, Ravenwing breathed in the scent of his denmate, just barely perceptible in the blizzard. Every other cat had to be in camp by now; if Ravenwing hadn't been looking for Graystripe he would have been too. What could Graystripe be doing out in this weather? The snow was beginning to weigh down the bushes, and with every step Ravenwing feared he would send a cascade of it falling down.

Mews were rumbling in the wind from behind the cluster of thickets.

Narrowing his eyes, he crept forward, his paws sinking into the snow. The dark outline of Graystripe was visible, but something stopped him from calling out. He took a step closer to get a better look.

There was another cat there- a silver RiverClan she-cat! It took a few heartbeats to put a name to her face, but then he remembered. _Silverstream._ She was one of the RiverClan warriors who had been on patrol when Shadepaw had fallen over the edge of Sunningrocks. Ravenwing couldn't hear what they were saying to each other, but their loud, rumbling purrs told him that they were by no means unhappy to see each other.

Ravenwing had to pause for a moment to understand what was happening, but when he did the realization nearly knocked him off his paws. _Graystripe is meeting with a RiverClan she-cat!_ He could hardly believe it. It explained so much though: why Graystripe had avoided hunting with him, why Brackenpaw was in camp all the time with no mentor in sight. The gray warrior must have been meeting with the she-cat every few days, leaving very little time to do much else.

Ravenwing waited, his paws numb. He was tempted to just leave and pretend it never happened, like he did with many things. Snow was beginning to accumulate even faster, and the wind whipped up his short, sleek fur. He couldn't just sit here; he had to move or his paws would freeze off. Graystripe and the RiverClan she-cat would have to leave soon too.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he heard the two cats mew their goodbyes. Graystripe made his way back toward the forest, straight toward Ravenwing.

Making no effort to hide himself, Ravenwing watched as Graystripe stepped out into the open, and met his friend's eyes.

Graystripe skidded to halt. "Ravenwing? What are you doing here?"

Shivering, Ravenwing fluffed out his fur. "I... was looking for you. What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd take a walk, maybe hunt a little," Graystripe replied, pelt twitching. He shifted his paws, clearly aware that Ravenwing had seen what he'd done.

Ravenwing watched him for a moment, and then looked away, wishing he could unsee his friend's betrayal. They weren't really that good of friends, were they? They'd barely talked since Graystripe became a warrior, and Graystripe had been avoiding him. For this. _A RiverClan she-cat._

Ravenwing was still staring when Graystripe broke the silence. "We should probably go back," Graystripe mewed. "The snow is coming down rather fast now." Ravenwing nodded, flicking snow from his ears. It was true; the blizzard had truly begun.

As they made their way through the woods, Ravenwing blinked to get the snow out of his eyes. "Cats were starting to wonder where you went," he meowed, chancing a look at Graystripe.

Graystripe nodded, looking troubled. He said nothing.


	28. Chapter 27

Ravenwing shivered, and peered out of the warriors' den. Sandstorm's fur brushed his own from where she slept. Graystripe rested on his other side. Sandstorm got up with a yawn, and headed out of the den, leaving Ravenwing alone with Graystripe.

Ravenwing watched his friend's chest rise and fall, while his paws and whiskers twitched. He must be dreaming. _About Silverstream?_ Ravenwing mused. How close was Graystripe to the RiverClan warrior anyway? It was still difficult for Ravenwing to believe that Graystripe would meet with a cat from another Clan. He wondered if they considered each other mates.

"Graystripe," he hissed, gently batting the gray warrior's flank with a paw. "Graystripe, wake up."

"Huh? Wha-" Graystripe flipped over. "What's the matter?!"

"Every other cat is awake," Ravenwing told him.

"Oh." Graystripe shook out his ruffled fur. "Right. Thanks." He pushed himself to his paws and stretched each leg one by one. Ravenwing followed more slowly; he had already stretched and washed his fur this morning.

They made their way to the fresh-kill pile. Graystripe picked a starling; Ravenwing decided to take a small vole. "Hopefully hunting is good today," Graystripe mewed, setting his meal on the ground in front of him. "This will hardly fill me up until tomorrow."

Ravenwing nodded silently; he had already bent his head to take a bite of vole. Tigerclaw watched him with narrowed eyes. Ravenwing tried to ignore him, and took in the appearance of the rest of the clearing. Dustpelt, Longtail, and Sandstorm were sharing a mouse a few tail-lengths off, while Frostfur and Brindleface were lounging outside the nursery, keeping a close eye on their young kits as they played in the deep snow. Their eyes flitted toward Darkstripe every once in a while, but the former warrior turned prisoner simply glared at the camp, his head on his paws.

Graystripe was his normal cheerful self, but when Ravenwing looked closely he could tell that Graystripe was avoiding his gaze. He pondered how to proceed. Should he ask him about Silverstream? Should he tell Bluestar? Ravenwing glanced at his Clan leader's den, and jerked his head away, shivering. He couldn't tell Bluestar. _She wouldn't believe me anyway._ Ravenwing shoved the bitter thought back.

Suddenly Graystripe turned his head. Ravenwing turned too- he could hear the sound of crunching snow coming from outside the camp. Bristling, he leaped to his paws. Brokenstar's rogues could be invading again!

Tigerclaw swung around, snarling, as a brown tabby tom burst into the clearing. Ravenwing blinked. It was Onewhisker. The tom's eyes were awash with panic, so different from the kind expression they'd held during the Gathering.

"Onewhisker?" Dustpelt bounded over to the WindClan warrior. "What are you doing here?"

"ShadowClan and RiverClan!" Onewhisker panted, skidding to a halt. "They're attacking our camp! We're outnumbered and fighting for our lives. Tallstar refuses to be driven off this time. You must help or my Clan will be wiped out!"

Ravenwing bristled. Graystripe was already on his paws, while the other cats in the camp looked on in alarm. Tigerclaw had unsheathed his massive claws. He appeared almost as though he wanted to chase Onewhisker from the camp when Bluestar raced out of her den.

"I heard," she meowed, and raised her head in a yowl to summon the rest of ThunderClan to the clearing. When the cats gathered around her, Bluestar began to speak. "There's no time to waste. It's as we feared- ShadowClan and RiverClan have joined together, and now they're attacking the WindClan camp. We must help them."

Cats looked on at Bluestar's words in shock. Ravenwing tuned out their protests. ThunderClan was going to be drawn into battle, and now that he was a warrior he'd be expected to fight. The thought pounded at the front of his awareness. Ravenwing knew any other cat would be eager to rush into battle alongside their Clanmates, but for him the prospect was sending tremors of fear down his spine. If he was chosen he'd be willing to fight- that had been his promise when he'd taken a warrior name, after all- but that didn't mean he wasn't going to be terrified the whole time.

"I think you should remain behind in camp, Bluestar." Ravenwing jerked his head around to see that Yellowfang was speaking. "The fever from the greencough may have passed, but you still won't be at full strength."

A look passed between Bluestar and Yellowfang, and the Clan leader responded with a sharp nod. "Tigerclaw, I want you to organize two parties," she mewed to her deputy. "One to head the attack, one to back it up. We need to get there as fast as we can!"

"Yes, Bluestar," Tigerclaw growled, turning to face the sea of concerned faces. "I'll head the first party; Whitestorm, you take the second. Dustpelt, Mousefur, Longtail, Willowpelt, and Ravenwing, you're with me." Ravenwing felt a pang of terror. Tigerclaw had always denigrated his fighting skills; it didn't make sense to choose him for the lead party.

Ravenwing's pelt rose as Tigerclaw's harsh voice called out to Onewhisker. "You! What's your name?"

Onewhisker blinked, apparently startled into silence. "Onewhisker," he finally rasped.

Tigerclaw gave a stiff nod. "Onewhisker, you'll be in my party. The rest of the ThunderClan warriors will join Whitestorm." His eyes flicked toward Ravenwing, and then back to the rest of the cats. "Are we all ready?" The warriors of ThunderClan yowled a battle cry. Ravenwing tried to raise his voice with them, but it came out as a shrill mew. Dustpelt, Longtail, and the other cats in the first patrol raced through the gorse tunnel. Tigerclaw ran after them, and then Ravenwing followed. the rest of the warriors of ThunderClan close behind.

They scrambled up the ravine and into the forest. The ThunderClan warriors were bristling, their tails twitching in anticipation. As they passed the Owltree, Dustpelt fell back to trot alongside Ravenwing. "You ready for this?"

Ravenwing nodded. Inside though, he was struggling not to let out a yowl of dread. This was it- his first battle as a warrior. He couldn't help but feel he wasn't prepared, and Tigerclaw had given him that look. What if he tried to ambush him during the battle?

_Oh please, StarClan, let me live!_ Ravenwing knew that the whites of his eyes must be showing, but the ThunderClan cats were too focused on hastening their way through the forest to notice his fear. They hurried past Fourtrees without pause before heading into WindClan territory.

Ravenwing didn't recognize the moor at all now that the first snow of leaf-bare covered the land. There were no visible landmarks; WindClan's territory was made up of indistinguishable white hills as far as Ravenwing could tell. Blasts of air whipped up the snow, and he screwed up his eyes against it. Next to him, Dustpelt squinted, his fur slicked back in the wind.

Tigerclaw led them along the hillside, his dark outline barely visible. Ravenwing's breathing was painfully shallow. He tried to swallow the panicked lump in his throat, and pricked his ears, waiting for the command to attack. Although Ravenwing had never seen the WindClan camp, he could tell from the tail flicks of the cats who had that they were nearly there.

They paused midway up a ridge. "Whitestorm, wait until you hear my battle cry!" Tigerclaw hissed through the wind. "Onewhisker, you lead us through the camp entrance; we'll take care of the rest."

They finally reached the edge of a hollow. "There." Dustpelt pointed with his nose. "That's it." Ravenwing's eyes found the opening in the gorse. Screeching could be heard beyond. He anxiously flexed his claws.

Tigerclaw raised his tail, and at his signal the first patrol charged down the slope. Remembering that he was a member of the first barrage a moment after the cats started moving, Ravenwing raced to catch up.

They burst into the camp, caterwauling, shaking off the prickly thorns that jabbed them on their way through the narrow gorse tunnel. Tigerclaw ran unhesitatingly into the fight. Dustpelt, Longtail, and Mousefur followed him after sharing a glance, raising their voices in a raucous yowl.

Scanning the mass of shrieking warriors, Ravenwing crouched low. Cats from all four Clans were everywhere, hissing and spitting and lashing out with claws and teeth. He went through his plan in his head, and with a jolt remembered an old quote from Lionheart: _surprise is the warrior's greatest weapon._ There was no need to throw himself at the center of the crowd. Instead he would pounce on an enemy near the edge of the WindClan camp, catching them off guard.

Spotting a dark gray ShadowClan tom, Ravenwing narrowed his eyes. He pushed off the ground with all his strength, flying through the air over a group of WindClan cats, and landed squarely on the tom's shoulders. The warrior toppled over with a furious caterwaul.

But Ravenwing's sense of triumph didn't last. The dark gray tom twisted his body around, tripping Ravenwing with his paws. Then he bit down on Ravenwing's hind leg.

Shrieking, Ravenwing tried to wrench himself free, but the ShadowClan warrior was too strong. He rushed at the warrior with his three usable paws, and the warrior's jaws loosened slightly, allowing Ravenwing to scramble out of reach.

He lost the tom by weaving around a pair of fighting WindClan and RiverClan cats, and settled himself in the ice covered grass at the edge of the hollow. Panting, Ravenwing examined his leg. Bloody tooth marks were clearly visible, and he could feel how deep the wound was by the icy pain that seemed to have burrowed into his flesh. He shuddered. He would need to get this treated after the battle- if he survived, that is. The fighting was fierce, and he couldn't help but think he hadn't been ready for this. He saw Cinderfur and Dustpelt grappling deep within the writhing mass of cats, and wondered if he could have summoned the bravery to take on a Clan deputy if he had been in the same position.

He wasn't the only cat that was worried. Graystripe was casting frenzied glances around the clearing as he fought a ShadowClan warrior. Ravenwing guessed he was looking for the silver RiverClan cat, but he didn't know what Graystripe would gain by finding her. They had looked at each other with such affection when Ravenwing had seen them together; he couldn't imagine his friend laying a claw against her.

He pushed the thoughts back; there was no time for pondering such things when WindClan was on the verge of being driven out of its territory. Ravenwing figured he should try to catch an enemy warrior by surprise again, and realized that his paws were trembling.

He let out a yowl and raced back into the fight before terror overwhelmed him.

He pounded toward a RiverClan cat that was fighting Whitestorm, but a dark pelted tom slammed into his side and Ravenwing was thrown to the ground mid-step. The ShadowClan warrior he had attacked before had found him again. The tom pinned Ravenwing down, his eyes gleaming with loathing. Ravenwing tried to call for help, but one of the tom's paws was pushing against his throat.

_He's too strong!_ Struggling to break free, Ravenwing called upon his memories of training with Tigerclaw. He twisted around, but the tom's claws dug in. It was then that he noticed his former mentor standing at the opposite end of the clearing.

Tigerclaw was staring at him, his pale eyes eerily blank. _This is what he wants,_ Ravenwing realized with a jolt of horror. He kicked at the tom with as much strength as he could muster, but the warrior's pelt was too thick, and Ravenwing only managed to shift him by a few mouse-lengths. His vision was growing dark at the edges, and he was only vaguely aware that the ShadowClan warrior was still pressing a paw against his throat.

A blur of ginger flashed in front of Ravenwing's eyes. "Oh no, you don't!" Sandstorm appeared next to him, swiping at the warrior with all her might. Gasping for breath, Ravenwing added a kick of his own, and it was enough to send the tom scrambling.

"Thanks," he gasped.

"Don't mention it." Sandstorm gave him a warm nod, and letting out a harsh cry, raced away to confront another group that was double teaming Brackenpaw.

Still winded, Ravenwing looked around. The fighting was still fierce, and he could feel the sharp sting from cuts on his side. Sandstorm and Brackenpaw had managed to send a ShadowClan warrior racing into the hills. Willowpelt was fighting alongside a WindClan queen to break up a group of RiverClan cats. Ravenwing bunched his muscles, readying himself to spring in to help.

An amber eyed glare cut into the corner of his sight. Tigerclaw was watching him with undisguised hatred in his eyes, and with a pang of terror, Ravenwing realized that he was making his way across the clearing, toward him.

Tigerclaw's pawsteps were slow and deliberate; he seemed completely disconnected from the battling around him. Ravenwing stumbled back. He had to get out of here, away from Tigerclaw.

Ravenwing tried to calm himself, even as Tigerclaw drew closer. His former mentor could be heading over to another section of the camp that needed reinforcements; surely he wasn't going for Ravenwing!

_This is ridiculous. He can't kill you in front of everyone!_

_Yes, he can! Every cat is distracted-_

_Not that distracted!_

The massive warrior continued to lope in his direction, his lips drawn back in a snarl.

Tigerclaw was just tail-lengths away now. Ravenwing realized that he had backed himself into the far corner of the camp, and it was only a quick leap to get over the short thorn barrier and escape. But what if that was what Tigerclaw wanted? Ravenwing would be out of sight of every cat when Tigerclaw killed him. The dark tabby slowly unsheathed his massive bloodstained claws.

"Tigerclaw, help me!" yowled Dustpelt. As though broken from a trance, Tigerclaw wrenched his gaze from Ravenwing and whipped around. Leopardfur had Dustpelt pinned against the ground, her forepaws grasping his neck, while her hind claws scored down his belly.

Tigerclaw raced to Dustpelt's aid in a set of swift bounds, and threw Leopardfur off the younger warrior with a single slashing move. Ravenwing let out a breath. Seeing his brother pinned by the RiverClan deputy he had felt a different kind of terror than usual; instead of fearing for his own life, he feared for another cat.

Figuring that Tigerclaw might come back if he remained at this spot, Ravenwing charged into the battle before muscle freezing panic took hold again.

Runningwind's voice hit Ravenwing's ears as he ran. He turned, eyes widening in alarm. Nightstar was holding Runningwind down, slashing his claws down his belly again and again. Ravenwing darted over, putting aside his previous reservations over directly attacking such a powerful and renowned warrior, and leaped onto Nightstar's back, sinking his claws through the leader's fur and into skin. Letting out a yowl, Runningwind slipped out of the ShadowClan leader's grasp, and for the first time Ravenwing wanted to give a jubilant yowl. His yowl of victory ebbed in his throat when Nightstar reared up on his hind paws, twisted around, and delivered a kick that sent him flying halfway across the clearing.

Ravenwing tumbled to the ground, and quickly flattened himself against it as screeches and claws clashed above him. Ignoring his bruised ribs, he painstakingly crept through the group of screaming, fighting cats, praying to StarClan that if an enemy warrior noticed him they would believe him too injured to worry about.

He broke into a sprint when Nightstar and Runningwind came back into view. Dustpelt, whose fur was dripping with blood, had joined the swift tabby warrior in grappling with Nightstar, too filled with battle rage to notice or care about the deep gash on his flank.

Ravenwing heard his own paws thrumming as he instinctively charged at the cat attacking his brother. Dustpelt and Runningwind were holding Nightstar down, and the tom struggled to free himself. Narrowing in on a vulnerable spot, Ravenwing struck out with his claws.

Nightstar yowled as Ravenwing dug his claws into his shoulder, and writhed around to free himself. He staggered back, glaring at the three ThunderClan warriors, and bared his teeth in a snarl. Then he raised his head.

"ShadowClan, retreat!" Nightstar yowled. The ShadowClan cats slipped out of the grasps of the cats they had been grappling with, and backed out of the camp after their leader.

The clearing was quieter, but battle cries could still be heard. Now RiverClan was at a disadvantage. Ravenwing threw himself into the battle with new energy. He traced the edge of the WindClan camp, slashing at any RiverClan cats not in the center. Continuing his lap of the hollow, Ravenwing noticed Tigerclaw and Crookedstar locked in battle near the center of the crowd of cats. He glanced away and kept going, but just as he turned his head a high pitched yowl hit his ears. Ravenwing looked back just in time to see Tigerclaw lean forward and sink his teeth into Crookedstar's neck.

A chill coursed through Ravenwing's heart, separate from the cold. That had been the move that had killed Redtail.

But Crookedstar wasn't dead. He screeched, his voice piercing the air even through the wind, and Ravenwing found himself oddly thankful that the RiverClan leader had survived the blow. As soon as Tigerclaw released him, Crookedstar bolted for the camp entrance. His warriors abandoned the fight and retreated after him, their tails quickly obscured the snow filled air of the moor.

The camp fell silent apart from the howling wind. Ravenwing sat down, the scratches in his leg throbbing. They hadn't been deep but they stung like fire, and he knew he didn't have the worst injuries; many cats of WindClan looked much more bedraggled than even the worst off ThunderClan warriors. Barkface began to rush around to treat his Clanmates' wounds, and Ravenwing saw him offer Willowpelt and Mousefur a bundle of herbs, which they took with grateful mews.

Tallstar had padded up to Tigerclaw. The WindClan leader's tail was drooping, in stark contrast to Tigerclaw, who was sitting up proudly with his chin raised. Ravenwing pricked his ears.

"As leader of WindClan, I thank you for helping us tonight. Without ThunderClan's assistance we would have been defeated." Tallstar bowed his head solemnly. "WindClan is in your debt."

Ravenwing didn't hear Tigerclaw's response. Willowpelt had padded up, the bundle of herbs in her jaws. "Ravenwing, let me treat that."

As she roughly brushed herbs against the scratches on his leg, Ravenwing watched Tigerclaw as he nodded to the WindClan leader and began to walk among the cats. Mousefur padded up, offering him herbs, and Tigerclaw shook his head, directing her toward Dustpelt and Runningwind with a flick of his tail. Both warriors looked surprisingly unhurt from the amount of blood on their fur; Ravenwing guessed it much of it wasn't their own.

When Willowpelt was done spreading the herb mixture on Ravenwing's wound, she blinked her blue eyes curiously. "Would you like to help? You were quite the medicine cat assistant last moon."

"What?" Ravenwing meowed, taken by surprise. "Oh. No, I shouldn't. I wouldn't want to injure any cat further."

"Alright. If you say so." Willowpelt picked up the herbs and padded off to treat Sandstorm.

Ravenwing examined the wound on his flank, reflecting that he did have a good idea how to treat it from his time helping Yellowfang. Did his Clanmates really think that he was more capable of being a medicine cat than a warrior? The only reason he knew some herbs was because of his numerous punishments over the last few moons. If he was a medicine cat, he would have to treat bloody and gruesome injuries, and just looking at the wounds on some of the WindClan cats made him physically ill. He didn't want to be a medicine cat.

But was he truly able to be a warrior? It certainly was easier to treat wounds than to fight. And he didn't mind herbs. His musings were taking him in circles.

Once all the ThunderClan cats had been treated for their injuries, Tigerclaw raised his tail. "Come; let us return to camp." The cats of ThunderClan gathered at the camp entrance, and soon enough began the trek home.

As they walked, Ravenwing tried to put his doubts in the back of his mind. He couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't truly warrior material even though he'd earned his name. It had been luck that had gotten him through the battle with the ShadowClan rogues without needing rescuing from his Clanmates, and this one had been no different. He didn't like battling, he didn't share the same sense of exhilaration as his Clanmates in combat, and he didn't understand why cats even liked fighting in the first place. Cats got hurt. Cats died. And Dustpelt was standing there with his head held high, somehow recovered from nearly dying and completely oblivious to the danger Ravenwing had faced.

They soon crossed back into ThunderClan territory. He watched his Clanmates trotting all around him, feeling as though a river separated them from him. Even though he was a warrior now, he didn't feel like one. Maybe Bluestar had just used his unusually good performance in the battle with ShadowClan as an excuse to make him a warrior; perhaps he was taking such a long time to complete his training she doubted that he would successfully earn his name without a sudden act of bravery.

Ravenwing flicked his ears. Bluestar would never make a cat a warrior of ThunderClan if she was unsure they could handle the demands of the position. He breathed out, imagining his anxiety flowing out into the ground through his paws. He _was_ a warrior. He had earned it. Ravenwing knew his doubts would come back soon though; they always did.

Graystripe padded ahead of him, his head bowed against the cold wind. Ravenwing trotted up to join him. Perhaps talking to his friend would help. "Are you alright?"

Graystripe was silent for a long heartbeat. "Yes."

"You didn't have to fight..." Ravenwing trailed off. He had been about to say 'her.'

Graystripe tilted his head, not quite meeting Ravenwing's eyes. His lighthearted mew sounded forced. "Of course, I had to fight! Why wouldn't I?" He shrugged. "I heard you fought Nightstar," he mewed, changing the subject. "Good on you for taking on a Clan leader. Is that how you got that wound?" He flicked his tail toward Ravenwing's leg.

"No, that was a different warrior." Ravenwing frowned. Graystripe clearly wasn't going to directly acknowledge Silverstream, though Ravenwing wasn't sure what he would have done if the gray warrior had.

By now they had reached the ThunderClan camp. Graystripe shouldered his way through the gorse tunnel, leaving Ravenwing to follow. Stepping through the small hill of snow that had formed in the entrance, Ravenwing swished his tail. His shoulders fell; Graystripe was already slipping into the warriors' den.

Bluestar padded out of her den to meet the returning patrol. "How was it?"

Tigerclaw's voice was a low growl. "ThunderClan and WindClan were victorious, with no serious injuries. Tallstar conveys his gratitude for ThunderClan's help." Approving mews spread through the cats who had stayed in camp. Tigerclaw continued his report as the elders and queens looked on with attentive eyes, and Ravenwing padded past them, unable to share their happiness.

It was still day, but the gray wall of clouds hid the sun. Ravenwing sighed. ThunderClan had won, so why was he feeling like this?

He saw Cinderpaw by the medicine den, her hind leg splayed out behind her as she mewed with Yellowfang. Darkstripe was nearby, asleep, and Ravenwing was surprised when his pelt prickled with pity for the dark tom. As terrible as Darkstripe's crimes were, Tigerclaw had manipulated Darkstripe into doing his bidding.

That didn't mean Ravenwing had forgotten what Darkstripe had done. He winced as Darkstripe's claws glinted in his mind's eye. Ravenwing would _never_ forget how Darkstripe had been whisker lengths from ending his life, no matter how helpless the dark tom became.

Ravenwing was about to lift his paws when he felt an icy gaze on his back, and slowly turned his head. Tigerclaw was watching him. Had he truly wanted Ravenwing to die today? _He did,_ Ravenwing realized, the fur along his spine rising. _And he still does._

Ravenwing didn't know if Tigerclaw would risk trying to kill him again any time soon. But no matter what Tigerclaw tried, he wouldn't be successful, or that was what Ravenwing told himself. The certainty was a hopeful flame in his heart. Ravenwing would never give in; he would cling to his loyalty- and his life- with every breath he took.

Tigerclaw continued to glare at him, his amber eyes glittering like ice.

Ravenwing stared back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it. Holy guacamole, Broken Destinies is complete. Thank you everyone for all your comments and support.
> 
> Now you're probably wondering about Book 3. Like I did with Book 2, I'm going to write most of it in advance. There are a ton of differences from canon to keep track of now, and Book 3 is going to be a major turning point. I don't want to give an exact date, but it's going to be a few months. Keep a lookout for The Lost Prophecy: Book 3: Hidden Shadows.
> 
> Thank you again and see you soon!


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